PS: 6,200 words super long chapter looking for monthly votes!
December 2520 of the Empire Calendar.
In front of the Fontainebleau Palace.
The majestic Old Guard was lined up in several square formations in front of the palace for inspection.
During the Obien Expedition, the Old Guard lost about five hundred people. More than two hundred of them died in battle, and more than two hundred of them were forced to retire due to disability or age.
But soon, fresh blood was drawn from the elites of the major duchies, and the Old Guard was quickly replenished. The new serfs were promoted to free soldiers in large batches, and the losses from the Obien Expedition were replenished. At the same time, many new squires and trainee knights were promoted to ranger knights from the major duchies.
The beautiful figure of the Lake Fairy was displayed in front of everyone. Today, the Goddess was wearing a round-collared mermaid dress with vertical buttons, a long snow-white windbreaker made of white fox fur, and a green, platinum, and diamond crown of eternal radiance of the High Elves. With a smile on her face, she inspected the Old Guard accompanied by the Knight King, Laing, and the Knight King's queen, Suria.
These serfs and free people from the countryside were all wearing the Old Guard uniforms produced by the Muxilon Textile Workshop. They were wearing bearskin hats, blue coats, golden belts, white shirts, long pants, and shiny boots. Their chests were full of medals and medals.
The new uniforms and hats symbolized the status and treatment of the Sun King's personal guards, and the medals reflected under the sun. The new Old Guard soldiers were especially happy. Most of them were free people before, and a few of them were farmers and herders a few years ago. Today, they were wearing the Old Guard uniforms that they had been yearning for day and night, and were being inspected by the Goddess and the Sun King. They were so excited that they straightened their backs, and their faces were glowing. They couldn't wait for Laing to give the order so that they could rush up and fight to the death with the enemy.
Apart from Marshal Lauren and Border Marshal Roland, the rest of the marshals arrived and followed behind. The Lake Goddess Witch Morgiana, on behalf of the Lake Fairy, expressed her condolences to the disabled veterans and the families of the martyrs, personally giving them pensions one by one.
For some reason, Morgiana was in a great mood today. The Lake Goddess Witch was also dressed to the nines. She wore a trendy, checkered dress with a floral collar. She wore a pair of milky-white leather high-heeled boots, and a full set of divine accessories that she had obtained from Sulia. She had a smile on her face the entire time.
During the inspection, a new Holy Grail girl accidentally broke the cup of purifying holy water that the Lake Goddess Witch had spent a lot of magic to bless. This kind of thing should have been enough for the poor girl to be executed on the spot, but Morgiana just frowned and ordered her to be fined one month's salary and three days of confinement.
Everyone clicked their tongues in wonder. One must know that Morgianna's character could be said to be very eccentric and unpredictable. However, everyone began to get the knack of it. That was, when she was with King Leon, it seemed that Her Royal Highness the Lake Goddess' mood would be much better, and she would be more pleasant to others.
"Lohir!" The Lake Fairy said gently as she stood on the winding staircase in front of the Fontainebleau Palace.
"Yes! My Lady! " A captain of the Old Guard, who had served Laing for 28 years, answered and strode out of the line.
"28 years have been like a day. Your loyalty and faith have moved me. Since the Battle of Collesen at Fort Marlin, you have followed Laing to this day. Now, I give you the highest honor." The Lake Fairy smiled and gestured for Lohir to come forward.
The golden Holy Grail spun in the air, and the light of the Lake Goddess shone through the whole field. The sweet liquid of the Holy Grail emitted a pleasant fragrance in the middle of winter. Under everyone's envious eyes, Lohir, the captain of the Old Guard, knelt on the ground with tears in his eyes. "My Lady … Thank you so much!"
Lohir drank the water of the Holy Grail and turned from a middle-aged man in his forties into a man in his thirties. His eyes were red, and his whole body was covered in holy light. He walked down the stage with an imposing aura.
The third Holy Grail guard was Lohir, the captain of the Old Guard from the Winford Duchy!
"Walloon!"
A very strong great swordsman of the Old Guard walked out. His face and body were full of scars, but his eyes were like lightning.
Laing recognized him. This warrior came from Redfish Village. He was famous in the village because he weighed almost five kilograms when he was born. Many people thought that he had mutated, so he was bullied and discriminated against by the villagers when he was young. He did not have a name, but Angelo recognized him and named him "Walloon". Then, he arranged for him to follow him in blacksmithing, herding, and chopping trees.
Walloon quickly grew into an unparalleled warrior. Along the way, he relied on his strength, military merits, and all kinds of incredible performances to get promoted. Serf Infantry, Free Soldier, Old Guard, and now, he was the captain of the Old Guard. He was only thirty-five years old this year!
In the Battle of Obien, Walloon killed twelve of Harold's "Royal Guards" all by himself. He also killed a Chaos Champion and severely injured a Khorasan!
"Obey orders, unite with sincerity, be brave and strong, and be unyielding." The Fairy in the Lake motioned for Walloon to come forward. The Goddess took out the second Holy Grail from the void. "I grant you the glory of the Holy Grail. I hope you will continue to work hard and live up to the name of the Brave."
"Yes!" Walloon took a deep breath and drank the water of the Holy Grail.
The fourth Holy Grail guard.
"Udino!" Mu Xilon, the deputy general of the Leng Xi Guards, was stunned.
Everyone was silent.
The fifth Holy Grail guard! He was not even an Old Guard!
Udino was also a warrior recognized by the whole Knight King Kingdom. He was brave and fearless. As a flintlock grenadier, he personally led the charge every time and was injured several times. Since he joined Laing's service, he fought to be the first in every battle. He also performed outstandingly in the Battle of Shantiron, Motekin's invasion, and the Battle of Obien.
Standing behind the Fairy in the Lake, Laing, holding his wife Suria's little hand, smiled and looked at the scene in front of him. He noticed that the knights and nobles led by Berchemund and his father-in-law had a sense of crisis on their faces. The Old Guard had only been established for a dozen years, and there were already five bumpkins who had obtained the Holy Grail!
Now, there were only three hundred Holy Grail Knights in the whole Knight King Kingdom!
Of course, the knights and nobles would not question the Fairy in the Lake. How the Goddess judged the bestowment of the Holy Grail had never been influenced by others. If she thought it was enough, then it was enough.
In fact, to put it bluntly, Laing's establishment of the Serf Foot Soldiers, Free Soldiers, Old Guard, and Holy Grail Guards was still far from the so-called "fair". Although this promotion channel had been fully opened, it was still very unfair. The knights and nobles could still be promoted from apprentice knights or squires to regular knights as long as they could get spurs from the kingdom's knights. Every Old Guard, on the other hand, had survived hundreds of battles. It was like thousands of soldiers and horses crossing a single-plank bridge.
Was it fair? Was it not fair at all? The bumpkins fought with their lives on the line, and in the end, there were only a few pitiful spots left. There were now more than three hundred Legendary-level experts in the old guards, but they still had to continue fighting for the titles of knights and the spots of the Holy Grail Guards.
But in reality, all the serfs and freedmen in the knight's kingdom were already incomparably grateful to Leon. Everyone knew that in the original knight's kingdom, a bumpkin would always be a bumpkin. They would never be able to become a Lord Knight. They would never have the opportunity.
Now, there were already seventy to eighty thousand people who had become free citizens through the war. Hundreds of people had obtained the title of Knight, and there were even some who had been conferred the title of Knight, Baron, and the highest honor of the Holy Grail. Everyone was wild with joy. In fact, many of the Serfs and Free Citizens only recognized Laing for this reason. Everyone was afraid, afraid that once the King was changed, the welfare, reform, and promotion channels would be changed back, and the whole kingdom would return to its previous stagnant state.
It could only be said that the previous Knight King Kingdom was too "Right," and Laing's governance was a little "Left," which made the Serfs very grateful.
After the award ceremony outside ended, everyone returned to the conference hall of the Fontainebleau Palace.
Laing, the Lake Fairy, and Suria sat on the main seats, showing that the Knight King Kingdom was now ruled by three people. Below them was the Lake Fairy, Morgiana, followed by the Eight Marshals and several regional governors. Then, Laing's personal ministers, such as Talleyrand, Berliat, Vincent, and the others, followed by Laing's female ministers, with Veronica as the head. Teresa, Aurora, Sylvia, and the others sat at the end. His personal maid, Olica, stood behind Laing.
At the meeting, the Sun Wang Laing and the Lake Fairy, Lilith, further promoted the following policies and fully prepared to deal with the Eternal God's Chosen South.
The veterans who had been forcibly discharged and retired would be the first to be put to use. Laing had two ideas about this, which were to expand and reduce spending.
Expand: Expand outside the existing system. At present, there were two sets of standing troops, which were difficult to cope with the high intensity consumption. The serf economy had a limited recovery. In a short period of time, there was no other way to improve the overall combat power except to train a regular army at a high price, but the cost was too high. The compromise was to train the backbone to infiltrate into the militia and strengthen the militia's combat power. At the same time, increase the training intensity and expand the other sources of troops.
Reduce spending: Retired veterans were precious resources, and it was a pity to waste them. At the same time, they could be guided into other fields to promote semi-military development.
Comprehensive goal: With veterans and new forces as the main body, ensure that new forces can be quickly mobilized during ET, and avoid the traditional Brittany style of one-time serf infantry that quickly exhausted the war potential.
1. Retired veterans, who were seriously injured and disabled, were allocated a fixed amount of subsidies by the state and assigned to local areas as instructors and patrol forces. Train according to the prescribed exercises and combine with the farming season. Ensure that local defense forces can be quickly organized during ET. Set up a fixed office (small fortress) for the relevant patrol teams, form a dispersion point and settlement before ET, and store a certain number of weapons to facilitate the wartime population to enter and defend and obtain weapons.
2. Expand the source of standing troops.
Require the local Brittany chambers of commerce to promote the organization of the guards in the form of fundraising. Specify that retired veterans from the Old Continent and Brittany must be hired as instructors to ensure the quality of training and strive to build a group of standing forces. Require the chambers of commerce to set up relay stations and other places along the trade route. The state retains the right to rent and store them (to facilitate wartime requisition and the establishment of wartime logistics nodes. At the same time, the maintenance of the relay stations can also train a group of financial personnel to be responsible for wartime logistics planning. The relay stations can also be maintained as long as possible during wartime by occupying some elites and the people to form small fortresses.)
3. Increase the requirements for merchants and the various grand duchies. Require merchants and knight nobles to bear the military expenses of a small number of standing self-defense forces and some of the permanent troops involved in local defense in the form of blood taxes or exemption money. Military service can be replaced by military horses, weapons, money, or by hiring some long-term mercenaries. The purpose is to fully mobilize the resources of merchants and maintain a new standing army without additional consumption of the lord's financial resources.
4. Use the Evil Lands to increase the number of troops. Set up new mountain forces in addition to the squires who needed horses in the past. Incorporate them into independent hunting teams, standing forces, and maximize the use of quasi-squires who have no money to buy horses. Provide the various duchies with a fixed number of hunters near the pass and request them to provide a corresponding share of strength in order to smooth the trade routes and regularly clean up the Chaos forces in the mountains. The relevant class of people will provide their own weapons, food, and military pay. The central and the various duchies will share the burden according to the proportion. If they are unwilling to provide, the duchies will need to provide a certain number of people to the central on a regular basis and hand over the responsibility of defense to the central government. The relevant expenses will be covered by the central government.
Those who are willing to provide will first recruit candidates to go to the Evil Lands for early training. After a year, they will return to the pass to organize training and defend. The central government will be responsible for the expenses of the Evil Lands training period. The purpose is to ensure that in the name of mountain warfare, non-knight squires are mobilized everywhere, and to ensure that the reserve forces are trained and actual combat. Once ET can be mobilized quickly.
5. Require the caravan that goes to the Evil Lands to organize a guard army. Designate healthy veterans who have retired from the army. The caravan will purchase or hire free people to receive training. At the same time, the soldiers of the three guards of the Evil Lands will be required to pay attention to cooperation to ensure that the long-distance caravan can have self-protection strength and reserve troops. The retired personnel of the relevant caravan guard army can be arranged to enter the Knight King's domestic territory in the form of land allocation or incorporation into the local security forces to ensure that they can lead the local armed forces in the critical period.
6. Regarding the quality of the serf army, the religions and churches they believe in are required to transfer priests and some priests to accompany the army in exchange for the recognition of the existence of the Goddess of the Lake. However, the relevant church personnel are strictly limited to before and after the serf's battle and are not allowed to interfere in the serf's daily lives.
The knights and nobles were somewhat reluctant, but now that the old world was in chaos, everyone knew how difficult it was for the Knight King's country to have such peace. In addition, with the Lake Fairy endorsing Laing, these proposals were passed one after another.
Only Suria looked very unhappy. Laing's actions meant that the kingdom's finances that she was in charge of would have to bleed again. Her husband was always so extravagant and extravagant.
However, the Knight King believed in her husband. Apart from pinching Laing's palm, she did not say anything.
"The news of the Lone Dragon City dwarves is very important. The dwarven scouts and rangers have reported that in the chaotic wastelands in the north, there is a very, very large army of Chaos. They are gathering under the orders of the new Eternal God's Chosen, Eichaen. It is said that the army that can be seen is hundreds of kilometers long, and there is no end in sight." Laing looked at everyone and said, "It is said that the dwarves of Lone Dragon City are seriously considering our 'Great Retreat' plan again."
"Damn it, it has only been a few years, and Chaos is coming south again?" Berchemund was so angry that his beard was blowing and his eyes were glaring.
"Let them come!" Kalad was cold and calm. "We will kill as many as there are."
"What did Laing say?" His father-in-law was still clear-headed. François leaned back in his chair. "Any news?"
"The Troll King Sauron's 30,000 Army of Chaos has appeared above the mountain pass of the Mourning Mountains." Laing nodded. "This is the vanguard, and also the precursor of an invasion."
Everyone was silent. Is it coming again? Previously, the Motekin invasion was so difficult. Now, only six years have passed, and the Army of Chaos is showing signs of a comeback. This time, the scale of the Army of Chaos is much larger than before!
As if unwilling to discuss this topic, Laing then asked Talleyrand, "Talleyrand, how are things with the High Elves?"
Talleyrand stood up with his cane and smiled. "The High Lord Tyrion exchanged 30 boxes of jewels and various goods with us for a large amount of military food and logistical supplies. At the same time, he said that he does not need our Chivalry Army. It seems that … this War Lord thinks that this Chivalry Army is not worthy of joining his rescue team."
"Then let him be." Laing also sneered and shook his head.
He knew what Tai Ritian meant. Tai Ritian meant that it would be best if Laing personally led the troops, bringing along Berchemund, François, Kalad, and the Old Guard, to rescue the little queen.
However, Laing said that he was seriously injured in Obien, and the Old Guard had also suffered heavy losses. There was no way for them to rescue the little queen.
After being rejected by the Sun King, Tyrion, who felt that he had lost face, did not say anything more. Gao Jing's Expeditionary Army only stayed in Bordero for half a day to replenish a large amount of supplies and then quickly left without even meeting them. As for the civilian organization, the "Jerrold Chivalry Army", which was formed by François's cousin, Jerrold, was clearly told that it was not needed.
You are not worthy.
If you are not worthy, then so be it. Even though Gao Jing's Favorability had dropped, Laing really did not want to get involved in this mess.
"There is one more topic."
… I do have a dividing line for another topic …
On the other side, in the Old World, in the southern part of the Ridge of the World, the giant undead fortress, Nagashza.
Man Frey von Karstein appeared in a cold, desolate, and dilapidated prison filled with deep coldness.
The Eternal Queen, Alissanda, was bound to the iron bars and chains of the prison. These devices were all made with undead runes and special metals. Alissanda could not feel any magic or divine power here. The little queen's wristband and necklace prevented her from using magic. She could only look at the person who came in helplessly.
Surprisingly, Alissanda's body was clean, and her clothes were tidy. This was all thanks to Lich King Akhan. Akhan was very polite to the little queen, and said that he was "inviting" Alissanda to "contribute" to the resurrection of Nagashza. As long as Alissanda cooperated, Akhan promised not to let her suffer. The Lich King even collected Alissanda's luggage and had the Nicohalla palace guards wash and change her clothes regularly. He also provided her with edible food.
Seeing Man Frey, Alissanda closed her eyes. She felt as if a piece of stinky meat had appeared in front of her. The little queen only felt disgusted. She did not even have the interest to communicate with Man Frey.
"Someone is here to save you." Manfred grinned and laughed wildly. He walked to the iron railing and said, "The Tai brothers and a group of High Elves are on their way here. They've come to save you. My little queen, are you happy?"
"They will kill you and bathe your soul in the sun," Alissanda said coldly.
"Many people have said that, but I am still alive." Man Frey leaned his head on the bars and sneered. "Wait and see, my little queen."
"Bah!" Alissanda spat on Man Frey's face. She then grabbed a stone from the cell and smashed it on Man Frey's bald head. "Scram, scum!"
"Scum? Scum! Just you? " Manfred opened the cage in an instant. He even held Alissanda's ankle, which was wrapped in white lace stockings, with one hand and slapped her with the other. Slap!
The little queen spat out a mouthful of blood. Half of her face was swollen. She glared at Man Frey. If looks could kill, Man Frey would have been dead.
"This is the expression. I like this expression. Good, good, very good! Very good! " Man Frey roared angrily. He seemed to have realized that he was being looked down upon. The last vampire count walked around the prison like a madman, then calmed down. "Very good, very good. I like this expression. Determination, faith, and contempt for me. Very good."
Man Frey clapped his hands, and two undead monsters walked out from behind him. One was a bloodthirsty batwolf mutated from a wolf, and the other was a sky ghost mutated from a bat.
They opened the iron door of the prison, and then more people poured in from outside.
There were more than a dozen vampires and dozens of zombies that were still dripping with pus and blood and drooling.
There were also dozens of undead dire wolves, mutated bats, gargoyles, tomb wraiths, and tomb ghouls.
"Continue, continue to maintain that expression. Oh, what a holy, noble, and well-mannered little queen." Man Frey laughed, and then his face showed his complete disgust for Alisala. "I just don't know if our little queen can continue to show this holy expression after you have been raped by a hundred people and a hundred monsters."
"You?!" Alisala stepped back in fear.
"Today, I, Man Frey, am kind enough to help our little queen to have a taste of her first experience. Please do as you please. If you break her, it will be on me." Man Frey waved his hand, and hundreds of undead and undead monsters rushed towards Alisala. They fought to be first, and their eyes were green. "Just remember not to kill her."
Dozens of vampires' hands, zombies' hands, and the claws of various monsters stretched towards Alisa one after another. The little queen was pressed down, her hands pressed against the wall. A dire wolf in front of her had already stretched out its tongue and licked her face.
"Rip ~" The sound of silk stockings being torn was heard.
"Hahahaha!" Man Frey laughed wildly.
There was really nothing more satisfying than the joy of completely tearing apart and smashing the beautiful things that he loved so much!
The expression on Alisala's face changed from restless, to frightened, to flustered, to desperate.
"No!"
"No!!!"
Screams echoed throughout Nagashzha.
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