Under the divine radiance of the Lady of the Lake, Raymond walked gently toward the goddess, his face expressionless. Amidst the cheers and applause of the crowd, he slowly advanced and then knelt.
Under the watchful eyes of the trembling and fearful serfs, the longing and envious gazes of the freemen, and the reflective looks of the Old Guard, the Lady of the Lake presented a golden chalice adorned with countless gems and diamonds to Raymond.
The thirty-something battalion commander knelt before the goddess, slightly raising his head. The Lady of the Lake's face was shrouded in thick mist, making it indistinct. He dared not look too long, simply reaching out to take the chalice filled with liquid and taking a small sip.
This was the first time someone had received the honor of the chalice in front of such a vast audience. All eyes were on Raymond, watching this famous veteran, a runaway serf from Lyonesse, a renowned lucky figure among the Old Guard, and a battalion commander who had served King Ryan for many years, as he transformed from a mortal into a servant of the goddess.
Raymond drank the water from the chalice.
At first, there was no reaction. He looked around in confusion, as if checking for any changes in himself. But aside from the slightly cold yet sweet liquid sliding down his throat, there was no transformation.
What exactly was the water of the chalice? Rokossovsky was deeply intrigued.
The former Kislevite marshal had encountered Grail Knights during his battles against the northern barbarians. These living saints were known for their outstanding virtues, bravery in combat, and excellent leadership. More importantly, they never tired. There was even a story of a Grail Knight single-handedly slaying over a hundred barbarian raiders and returning unscathed.
What was the essence of the chalice? How did the Lady of the Lake use it to transform mortals into unparalleled warriors like the Grail Knights? What were the criteria for selecting Grail Knights? Was it chivalric virtue, martial prowess, loyalty to the Lady, or faith in order?
Rokossovsky did not worship the Lady of the Lake, so as a native of the Ungol, he dared to question and probe the Lady's power and standards. Having experienced so much in Kislev, he was disillusioned with so-called faith and morality.
Any value judgment system, over time, would become a tool for the nobility. Any military merit evaluation method would eventually become a way for military nobles to monopolize upward mobility. Morality was no different. The original intentions of the Kreml Guard and the Cheka secret police were noble, but what had they become?
Over years of service, Marshal Rokossovsky had learned silence, compromise, and obedience.
But Bretonnia was entirely different. Here, the military merit evaluation system was tightly controlled by Ryan, and the moral evaluation system was even more formidable, held in the hands of the Lady, free from any external influence. The sole criterion for becoming a Grail Knight was the Lady's judgment.
Thus, Grail Knights were truly good, saintly, and nearly perfect in morality—worthy of trust.
As if sensing Rokossovsky's doubts, the ethereal voice of the Lady of the Lake echoed from afar: "It is virtue."
"Virtue?" Marshal Rokossovsky engaged the Lady directly. "What kind of virtue? Chivalric virtue? Or something more specific?"
"The Eight Virtues of Knighthood," the Lady calmly replied. "This is the only standard. When Ryan chose to save the doomed city of Miordheim through a champion's duel, when Davout, on his way home, encountered a Beastmen tribe invasion and alone rallied the villagers to fight, later standing up for the common folk and seeking justice, and when Raymond decided to sacrifice himself to buy time and secure victory—chivalric spirit was elevated and exemplified in them. This is their deserved reward."
"But people are not divided by status. What if it were a common serf? A village elder upholding justice? A craftsman sacrificing himself to protect his wife and daughter? Could they also be worthy of the chalice?" Rokossovsky pressed.
"To be a Grail Knight, you must first be a knight," the Lady replied indifferently. "Bretonnia has over eight million people. I cannot watch everyone. To gain my recognition, first become a knight."
"Understood!" Rokossovsky bowed his head in sincere acceptance.
Fairness! Fairness! Still fairness!
He now understood why Bretonnia was so powerful.
The Lady of the Lake ensured fairness at the top, while Ryan opened the channels for upward mobility, ensuring fairness at the bottom.
"Ugh!" At that moment, Raymond let out a pained groan. He knelt on one knee, a gentle light emanating from his chest and spreading throughout his body, even outshining the pristine white uniforms of the Old Guard. His eyes and orifices glowed with the intense light of the Lady, and he collapsed in pain, falling silent.
Seconds later, the battalion commander of the Old Guard was enveloped in a radiant aura, his eyes crimson. He drew his sword and roared to the sky: "For the Lady!"
The entire army erupted like boiling water, all drawing their weapons and pointing them skyward.
"For the Lady!"
The cheers echoed through the forests of Mousilon, lingering for a long time.
---
After the withdrawal, Bertrand and others wrote detailed military reports and urgently sent messages to Ryan. The reports detailed three key events: the skirmish in the Arden Forest, the possible appearance of the Shadowgave Malgur, and Raymond's promotion to a Grail Guardian.
Out of honor, the message was personally delivered by the newly promoted Raymond. Amidst the envious and jealous gazes of all, Raymond personally delivered the news to Ryan.
Ryan received the message with the highest ceremonial banquet standards, hosting the second Grail Old Guard. After reviewing the report, the Knight King nodded slightly. Indeed, after years of following him, Bretonnia now boasted many capable generals who could stand on their own—a good sign.
At the grand banquet, Queen Sulia asked with interest, "Sir Raymond, how did you come up with the strategy of 'steadfast as a mountain'?"
"I once followed His Majesty in the attack on the Spire of Mousilon. At the Spire, His Majesty set up a ruse that scared off the approaching undead army," Raymond replied earnestly. "And His Majesty often told us: swift as the wind, calm as the forest, fierce as fire, steadfast as a mountain… I think there was something else after that… desire like timely rain? I was inspired by the 'steadfast as a mountain' part."
"Pfft!" Ryan nearly spat out his wine.
An unprecedented Takeda Shingen fever!
Unfortunately, it still ended in tragedy (sadly).
"Congratulations, Raymond," Ryan raised his glass. "From today, you are no longer just a battalion commander of the Old Guard. I appoint you as the deputy commander of the Old Guard and grant you two villages near Lyonesse."
"Yes! I am deeply grateful!" Raymond bowed in thanks but then hesitated. "What about Marshal Davout?"
"Marshal Davout will be transferred to command the Mousilon Legion," Ryan nodded. "This is already decided."
"Understood!" Raymond bowed again in sincere acceptance.
"Raise your head, Raymond. From today, you are a glorious Grail Guardian," Ryan said gruffly, standing and clapping Raymond's shoulder firmly. "Have confidence in yourself!"
Raymond, hearing this, scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Belial approached with a serious expression. "Your Majesty, should we mobilize the army to enter the Arden Forest and eliminate the Shadowgave Malgur and its Beastmen horde?"
"Mobilizing the army is not an issue…" Ryan and Sulia exchanged serious looks. Ryan pondered, "But we know almost nothing about Malgur's whereabouts, and it's just the Wood Elves' judgment. Undoubtedly, the Wood Elves know Malgur best. We should send the message to the Wood Elf Glade Lords' Council while gathering our forces."
"But it's winter. Is the Glade Lords' Council even active?" Sulia worried.
"It is," Ryan nodded. "In winter, the Wood Elf King Orion walks into the fire and turns to ash, while Queen Ariel rests deep within the Oak of Ages. But most Glade Lords maintain order… or wildness. We just need to send the message to Alaros."
"Then let's proceed," Sulia suggested. "We'll start gathering the army now and move the court to Mousilon for a thorough search of the Arden Forest. We must find Malgur and eliminate it!"
"And let the sorceresses of the Conclave join us," Morgiana added. "We'll need their help."
"Agreed," Ryan said no more. At the end of the banquet, he ordered the mobilization of Bretonnia's three major governorates. A 30,000-strong knightly army was assembled, led by Ryan himself. Marshals Calard, Bertrand, and Bohemond arrived with their forces, initiating a month-long search and purge of the Arden Forest. Davout remained in Mousilon, while Francois led the secondary forces stationed at the forest's edge.
Notably, after the call for mobilization, all of Bretonnia was gripped by war fervor, especially after hearing of Raymond's promotion to the second Grail Guardian. Freemen flocked to enlist, many even willing to pay for their own equipment. Blacksmiths worked day and night to forge weapons and armor.
Such enthusiasm? Ryan was both amused and exasperated.
But with the freemen so eager, the Knight King felt he couldn't remain silent.
Keeping a low profile was best, but Ryan announced the expansion of the Mousilon Coldstream Guards from 400 to a full regiment of 1,000, divided into three battalions.
In just one day, the Coldstream Regiment was fully staffed, with many freemen equipping themselves to join.
Thus, throughout the winter of 2518, Ryan led the knightly army in a systematic search of the Arden Forest, divided into three columns.
After over a month of searching, Ryan was deeply disappointed. The Arden Forest showed no sign of Malgur, not even large Beastmen warherds or powerful Beastlords. The army swept through the forest, encountering only small Beastmen warbands.
These small warbands were no match for Bretonnia's forces, easily crushed.
The three columns, led by Ryan, Calard, and Bohemond, searched the depths of the Arden Forest for two weeks along the trails of corruption, but found nothing. All signs pointed to one conclusion.
Malgur had vanished. After gathering thousands of Beastmen tribes and warbands, it had secretly left the Arden Forest, likely entering the Grey Mountains.
The ominous signs, the heavily corrupted forest, and the twisted, mutated stones under Malgur's will all indicated one thing: Malgur had returned, and its power was growing stronger and more狂暴 with the Chaos winds. It was planning its revenge and destruction, hiding in the shadows to gather strength.
The 2518 Winterfest was spent in this oppressive atmosphere. After over a month of fruitless searching, Ryan had no choice but to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut. He led the army to the hideout of the "Free Bretonnia" outlaws, surrounding them completely.
The outlaws' leader, the elusive "General Shire," hesitated over surrender: "How can we trust you to keep your word?"
Until Ryan brought out Bertrand, shouting to the people inside the hideout: "Look, who is this?"
"He is the Sixth Marshal, Marshal Bertrand," someone answered.
"What was he before?" Ryan continued. "Who knows? Tell me."
"He was the leader of the Bergerac Thieves' Guild," one of the outlaws hesitated.
"And what is his status now?"
With that, the outlaws had no more objections and opened the gates to surrender. Over 10,000 people were settled on the lands of the late Grail Knight Baron Claude.
But this was not the end. As Ryan returned from the Arden Forest, news came from northern Bretonnia.
While Ryan's attention was focused on Malgur, the Slaaneshi Champion Prince Sigvald's fleet had launched a surprise attack on the northern castle of Chalons, razing it to the ground, all because "the wine here didn't suit my taste."
By the time Ryan arrived, Sigvald had long fled, leaving only hundreds of flayed corpses hanging on the ruins and a long message written in blood.
"Can you keep up with my speed, my nemesis Ryan?"
After these maneuvers, Ryan could only vent his frustration and disband the army temporarily.
Then, the latest news came from the Wood Elves.
The Wood Elf envoy arrogantly stated that your message had been received by the Glade Lords' Council, but the Wood Elves currently had no energy to assist Bretonnia.
Because something major had happened in Athel Loren. Drycha, the Branchwraith who had once plotted to kidnap Morgiana, had destroyed an ancient temple of the Old Gods in Parravon, finally obtaining the last artifact she had been searching for.
This winter, Drycha infiltrated Athel Loren. The powerful tree spirit unleashed the power of the stolen relic, defeating one of the three ancient treants sent by Ariel to guard the forest—the one who had initially opposed the Wood Elves' settlement. By the time the Waywatchers and Wildwood Rangers arrived, the ancient treant elder had already been rescued.
Ryan felt immense pressure.
Darkness was encroaching upon the world.
The footsteps of the apocalypse were drawing nearer.
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