PS: This chapter involves some background knowledge, so I wrote a little more. It's 5400 words. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Thank you to my reader Cadianzz for the reward of 100,000! I'll make up for it the day after tomorrow or the day after that.
The following ceremony had nothing to do with the king at all. The Lake Goddess Witch, possessed by the Lake Fairy, took care of the whole process. Under the admiring gazes of countless people, she personally pinned the second-class iris flower medal on Laing's chest.
Then, the goddess' divine power surged, and a pair of golden wings appeared on the Grail Knight badge on Laing's chest. This was proof that he had been promoted to a Knight Commander.
The ceremony continued. Because of the Lake Fairy's possession, this extremely grand ceremony added a sacred and mysterious color to it.
Richard also knelt down with all the other knights. At this juncture, the Knight of Duty did not look like a king at all. On the contrary, his status was below that of the Grail Knights.
Not being able to become a Knight of the Holy Grail had always been a pain in his heart. This Duke of Le-Angouland had gone through the Trials of the Holy Grail three times in a row. He put down his lance, mounted his warhorse, and took his luggage. Like all the knights who desired the Holy Grail, he also tried to go as far as the Empire.
Due to various reasons, he did not succeed in the end.
And now, the Lake Fairy was using this method to clearly tell him that she was not satisfied with how he handled this matter.
But what could he do? Watch as the royal power fell? Looking at the Duke of his own country, he could order him around in his throne room?
In this kingdom, no one could defy the will of the Lady. Richard could only kneel on the ground.
After a complete and serious ceremony, the Lake Fairy did not remove her possession. On the contrary, she stayed with great interest to watch Laing's performance.
Horsemanship, swordsmanship, and lance. These were the three basic skills of a knight. A knight who had been conferred a title had to show his or her corresponding strength.
Under everyone's gaze, Laing mounted his pure-blooded elven horse and took the lance from the squire.
Under the skillful training of the knight, the pure-blooded elven horse, Grape, and its master's thoughts were connected. One man and one horse crossed all kinds of obstacles and rushed straight to the target.
In front of the entrance of the palace, a string of iron rings had already been arranged.
Laing was not a person who often used a lance, but the champion of the Fairy of the Lake had never disappointed the goddess. With a flash of the lance, it tore through the air, and two iron rings were already attached to the lance.
Then, there were three, five, eight.
After the charge ended, the horse raised its hooves. Laing's lance was hung with twelve iron rings.
The Chosen of God champion used his exquisite skills to conquer all the knights in the palace.
Throughout history, the training of a lance was very, very difficult. A qualified knight had to start learning to use a lance at the age of eleven or twelve. This kind of two to three meter long polearm weapon was the first choice of knights in Brittany and the Empire. However, it was also very difficult to master it. When the horse was charging at full speed, the knight had to use this kind of polearm weapon to accurately hit the weak points of the enemy's armor with the tip of the lance, which was the size of a coin. It was very difficult to do without years of training.
It was due to this reason that nurturing an outstanding knight was a long process that required a huge amount of manpower, resources, and years. Once the knights were successfully nurtured, the group charge of the knights would become the key to victory in the war.
The palace was filled with cheers, but the Lake Fairy was not satisfied. This level of horsemanship and lance skill could be achieved by any of the Holy Grail Knights.
"Clang!" The Lake Fairy drew her short sword.
"Lady?" The Lake Fairy's action made the surrounding Holy Grail Knights nervous and nervous. The Lake Fairy smiled gently and did not give any orders. Instead, she gently tied up her long golden hair.
The Goddess held the short sword in her hand, and a strand of her hair was cut off by the Lake Fairy. Then, in front of everyone's eyes, the Lake Fairy gently tied her hair into a small hairband.
The hairband was only about five centimeters in diameter. The Lake Fairy did not say a word. She stretched out her delicate hand and casually threw the hairband down from the stands.
The golden hairband flew out from the stands in the cool autumn air. Countless knights' eyes followed the trajectory of the hairband.
Their eyes were filled with fanaticism and desire, filled with the expectations of countless knights. If it weren't for the fact that Leon was currently performing, perhaps a large number of young knights would have crazily fought over this hairband. This was a blessing from the Goddess!
"Hyah!" No one understood the Lake Fairy's intention better than Laing. After the Lake Fairy made the gesture, the Chosen One immediately urged his horse forward. The pure-blooded Elf Warhorse, Grape, stepped forward. The Holy Grail Knight and his warhorse charged forward again.
The lance was held high until it was gradually leveled. A silver-gray light whizzed past the stands, stirring up a lot of dust.
The Lake Fairy was still indifferent. At the same time, she even had the time to talk to Morgiana. "Morgiana, did you enjoy last night?"
"My Lady!" The Lake Fairy took over the body of the Lake Fairy, but she was still conscious. She was very embarrassed to be asked this question. "I followed your oracle …"
"Laing's existence is an anomaly. There are many terrible corruptions and curses that even I can't remove, but he can." The Lake Fairy's face gradually became serious. "He helped you dispel the curse?"
"No, he said that he was not strong enough, but he put a Psionic Seal on my body, so that I could avoid the further erosion of the curse." Morgiana's expression was very respectful. "His Psionic Light purified the filth that troubled me. I feel much better now."
"There is no doubt that he is that silver horse. We need his power. Morgiana, you are my spokesperson, and he is my Chosen One. I hope that you can get along well." The Lake Fairy gave another oracle. "Perhaps, the way to save this country lies in his hands."
"Understood, my Lady." Morgiana had never heard such a clear oracle, and had never been possessed for so long. The Lake Fairy felt very strange, but as the spokesperson and devout follower of the Lake Fairy, Morgiana would not test the Lake Fairy's thoughts and power. She would only obey.
At this moment, a loud noise attracted the Lake Fairy's attention back to the field.
Her Chosen One came before her with a smile on his face and a lance in hand.
On the tip of the lance, a golden hairband shone brightly.
The sacred ceremony ended amidst loud cheers.
The next day, Morgiana, Duke Winford and Laing led the rest of their troops back to their dominions to prepare for winter.
Laing once again showed his noble side. He spent the 1,500 crowns he received without leaving a single drop behind. The money would be used as compensation for the fallen soldiers.
Laing and the rest set out on their journey home with only 50 sets of brand new armor.
It was now the start of the 10th month. By the time they returned to Winford, it was already late autumn. In a few weeks, Brittany would be greeted with its first snow.
Along with Laing and the rest was Duke Bodrick of Bordero. The Chosen One of the Sea Goddess had interacted with them quite a bit on the way. He had a strong personality and was as tolerant as the sea, but at the same time, he was also as cold as the sea.
In the middle of the golden field, Morgiana, the Witch of the Lake Goddess, was sitting on her unicorn, Hillfain, with Leon riding beside her. At the same time, Duke Francois and Duke Bodrick, the four highest ranking people, were walking together.
As the representative of the Lake Fairy, Morgiana had never been a good-tempered person. In other words, the Lake Fairy had always been an unpredictable person. She was a great magus of the sky and life elements. Her whereabouts were unpredictable and she often appeared in Brittany to punish evil magi or rogue knights who didn't abide by the code of chivalry. She also secretly helped oppressed serfs and knights who were undergoing the Holy Grail trial.
Usually, she would lock herself in a wizard tower in a swamp near the Fairy Lake in Karkarson. No one knew what she was doing in the tower.
There was a very interesting story about the Lake Fairy Witch. She had a hobby of turning the targets of her punishment into frogs, such as magi who provoked her or rogue knights who failed and were punished. Therefore, Brittany serf girls often liked to play a game called "Kiss the Frog". They would find frogs in ponds and swamps and kiss them whenever they saw one. They hoped to use the kiss of a maiden to lift the curse of the Lake Fairy Witch and change their fate.
Laing didn't know whether it was true or not. Anyway, he wasn't interested in trying it.
"We have already passed the Duchy of Lyonnasay. Next, we will pass by Connaught in the south." François approached from behind on his horse. "That … Cursed Land Muxilon."
"The Blood Red Duke has been quite well-behaved recently. The rangers haven't found any new movements." Bodrick, Duke of Bordero, looked to be in his forties, but his real age was in his eighties. Even by the standards of a legendary master, he was already middle-aged. In recent years, there had been rumors that the duke wanted to put aside his worldly affairs and embark on the path of the Holy Grail. However, the frequent raids of the dark elves, the appearance of the vampires in his territory, and the Blood Red Duke's army of undead knights in the north made him too busy to do anything else.
Morgiana's face was very cold. She just nodded.
Muxilon Castle was located at the mouth of the Grismeri River. The source of the river was the Arden Forest. The former small and rich territory of the Duchy of Connaught had now become the world of the undead. The whole castle seemed to be gradually submerged by the swamps, but it seemed that some special spells or repeated building of the castle kept the castle standing at the mouth of the river.
Even if they didn't want to admit it, Brittany had actually lost this port city. After the incident at Dore's Tower, the knights had tried their best. The Blood Red Duke could be defeated again and again, but the knights couldn't take down Muxilon.
Laing once asked the reason, and François told him with a bitter smile, "When you face a 60-meter-high and 20-meter-wide wall, it's hard to think of taking it down. Laing, remember, the undead don't have to worry about manpower and material resources."
"I see." Laing understood.
The undead didn't have to worry about manpower and material resources. These creatures that didn't sleep and rest could endlessly build the castle. The knights were already lacking in siege skills, and Brittany was a country that didn't have a good relationship with the dwarves and didn't have cannons. In the face of such a strong city, the knights could only return empty-handed.
"Speaking of which, when did the Blood Red Duke appear? Why did he get such a title? Why would he claim to be one of the heirs to the throne of Brittania? "Leon was fully qualified to ask questions if he didn't understand.
The Lake Goddess Witch Morgiana turned to look at Laing. Her green eyes flashed. "The Blood Red Duke's real name has been sealed by the Lady, but no matter what, he is a real duke — the Duke of Aquitaine."
The two dukes, François and Bodrick, were silent. Obviously, they knew the story, but the Lake Goddess Witch was more suitable to be the one to tell it.
"Duke of Aquitaine? I've never heard of this title, "Laing asked curiously.
"The title of Duke of Aquitaine existed when Brittany was founded. The first Duke of Aquitaine was Arthur's close comrade, the Knight of the Holy Grail, Frey Desmond." Morgiana nodded and continued, "This story started about 500 years ago. Do you know about the Flaming Red Expedition?"
"Of course!" Laing nodded.
The Flaming Red Expedition was a story that knights were all familiar with.
About 500 years ago, Brittany and the Empire were attacked by a country called Araby across the sea in the southwest. The cavalry from the Araby Desert slaughtered civilians along the way, causing public outrage in the old world.
(In order to avoid infighting and preserve strength, the humans had a tacit understanding to never kill civilians and rarely kill nobles. They were usually locked up to wait for ransom.)
The Empire and Brittany formed an army of knights and wiped out the Araby invaders. Under the call of the Knight King and the Emperor of the Empire, they launched a heroic expedition. Tens of thousands of knights participated in this expedition.
The knights fought across the sea, and the desert civilization was completely destroyed. The expeditionary army returned home with countless gold and trophies, as well as the head of King Jafar of Araby and endless glory.
"The Blood Duke was the last Duke of Aquitaine. He responded to the Lady's call and joined the war." Morgiana saw that Laing knew about the Flaming Red Expedition, so she skipped a part of it. "But on the way back, the Duke fell ill."
"The Duke was injured in the desert and fell seriously ill. He had a high fever and fell into a coma. However, he stubbornly persevered until he returned to Brittania. Only then did he pass away in his own bedroom."
"A grand funeral told of the Duke's passing, but it was not over. A mysterious undead knight appeared in his territory."
"On a rainy night three days later, the Blood Red Duke was resurrected. He was no longer a noble knight who fought for the ladies. Instead, he became a detestable undead. In the next few hours, he slaughtered his own family and family knights and resurrected them to form his own undead army. He declared that the Duchy of Aquitaine had become the world of the undead. The serfs called him the Blood Red Duke based on his bloody appearance."
"I see." Laing expressed his understanding. Then he motioned for Morgiana to continue. At the same time, François and Bodrick sighed slightly.
"The Knight King, who was warned, led his army to defeat the Blood Duke. The undead collapsed. Under the leadership of the Lady and the Lake Goddess witch, the Blood Duke was sealed. The castle of Aquitaine was razed to the ground, and the surrounding soil was plowed with the salt blessed by the Holy Grail Knight. Due to the fall and extinction of the Aquitaine family, the Duke's title was revoked. The land of the Duchy of Aquitaine was divided equally between the Duchy of Bordero, the Duchy of Bereon, and the Duchy of Bastogne."
"Originally, all of this was over. But 280 years ago, in the Tower of Dore incident, the Lake Goddess witch of that generation was imprisoned. The evil wizard took the opportunity to release the sealed Blood Duke. He was defeated again, but this time the knights could not catch him. So, this situation has continued to this day." Morgiana shook her head slowly. "To this day, the Blood Duke still claims to be the Duke of Aquitaine and has the qualifications to compete for the throne of the Knight King."
"The existence of the Blood Duke is like a cancer buried in the kingdom. We have to arrange for rangers to patrol and set up outposts near the territory of the Duke of Connaught. This restrains a large amount of the kingdom's military power." François nodded. "Every year, a large number of serfs who can't survive escape to the territory of Connaught. Any serf who escapes can find shelter there and find a job to support their family. So, in recent years, the economy and population of Muxilon have shown a trend of prosperity."
Ryan finally understood. He completely understood.
It seemed that the Brittany knights were unable to conquer the castle of Muxilon, but in fact, the essential reason why the Blood Duke could stir up trouble was because of the gradual collapse of the serf system.
The Knight King Kingdom was declining, and a greater crisis was approaching. He could not be complacent because of the small victory in front of him. Laing still had many things to do.
…
At the same time, in the Roof of the World, Skyvault Castle, the headquarters of the Marvel Council.
It was another boring winter night. Skyvault Castle was thousands of meters in the air and was covered in snow most of the time. It was said that Chairwoman Margarita had decided to set up the headquarters of the Marvel Council here because the cold weather was good for suppressing the violent magic elements in the bodies of female spellcasters.
This was also the 28th year of Teresa Trovic's stay in Skyvault Castle.
Councilwoman Garland finally returned to the wizard tower she and her mother owned after completing a simple but tedious task of checking all the seals in the castle. The sorceress felt a little tired. She opened the door to her room and threw her leather boots at the door. She hung her coat on a hanger and slumped lazily on the sofa in her room.
Knock, knock, knock. After a few minutes, someone knocked on her door. "Miss?"
"What's going on?" She was annoyed. Ever since she went on a trip with Laing, her temper had improved. At the very least, she wouldn't get angry at her apprentices and servants.
"There's a letter for you." The apprentice knew that her mentor had a bad temper. Few of the female councilors had a good temper. "Can I come in?"
"Yes!"
The door was opened.
"I don't want to see it now. Put it on the table!" Teresa waved her hand, indicating that the apprentice could leave.
"But … this is an express letter from Brittany. It's from the famous Grail Knight, Baron Laing Macado." The apprentice carefully placed the letter on the table. Seeing that the councilor didn't want to see it, she weakly added.
Hearing the name "Laing", Teresa immediately sat up from the sofa.
"Give it to me! Now! "
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