In May, outside the capital of Bretonnia, Couronne.
The banners of the lion fluttered in the sky under the brilliant, intense sunset as the Knightly Army assembled.
The lion flags symbolizing the Knightly Kingdom, the heraldic banners of the various duchies, the fleur-de-lis banners representing the Lady of the Lake, and the golden fleur-de-lis banner with a book, sword, and grail representing King Ryan himself were all lined up in a row.
A small blue raven flew across the sky, its azure eyes darting around. Below it, tens of thousands of knights and soldiers were being inspected by King Ryan and the marshals of the Knightly Kingdom.
"Thud~ Thud~ Thud~ Thud!" The footsteps echoed like the tolling of a mountain bell. Tens of thousands of soldiers marched in unison, their polished breastplates and gleaming weapons reflecting the orange glow of the setting sun. Rows upon rows, columns upon columns, thousands of formations, hundreds of battalions, and dozens of legions stood ready.
"Thud~ Thud~ Thud~ Thud!" The peasants, clad in new equipment and gripping weapons passed down from their ancestors, couldn't help but feel their blood boil. Since King Ryan's ascension, tens of thousands of peasants had been elevated to the status of freemen.
Today, these peasants were filled with hope. They would prove their loyalty through war, courage, and faith, all for the chance to shed their lowly status.
The freemen marched with their heads held high, their eyes burning with ambition.
Wealth, status, and glory lay across the sea!
Not to mention the elite infantry regiments from the various duchies, who had already proven themselves capable of standing alone after enduring countless trials of blood and fire.
At the end of the procession were the most honored and prestigious Old Guard. Though only two thousand strong, these seasoned veterans had each participated in at least eight campaigns. Their formations were the most precise, their discipline the most stringent, and they moved in complete silence, leaving an impression of overwhelming authority and a tangible military spirit.
Dozens of knightly companies, their armor polished to a shine and their tabards adorned with parchment blessings, marched past. They shouted the names of the Lady of the Lake and King Ryan, while many knights also called out the names of their duchies and families. The squires couldn't help but cheer, eager to earn their spurs through military achievements. The knights-errant were filled with fervor, ready to make their mark.
Even the Kingdom Knights and Grail Knights, seasoned warriors all, couldn't help but glance at King Ryan standing on the high platform. Thirty-five Grail Knights stood in a line, each a pillar of the kingdom and a paragon of knightly virtue.
They felt it—the call to war.
The raven continued to fly, gliding down from the banners.
In front of the thousands of formations and tens of thousands of troops were Bretonnia's artillery. Behind the fifty-five blessed trebuchets were seventy mortars, forty-eight heavy cannons, thirty-three organ guns, and nineteen Hellstorm "Sunburst" rocket launchers.
They were arrayed like pieces on a chessboard, densely packed in front of the square.
The raven blinked as it observed this scene, then spread its wings and flew on.
Higher up, against the sun, the setting sun was descending toward the west. The raven flew over the riverbank, across the clear sky, and over the great capital of the Knightly Kingdom.
The sound of warships roared, and the waves called out in angry spray, competing with the howling wind.
The Bretonnian Sea God's First and Second Fleets, along with the two ironclads, the Enterprise and the Varyag, were belching thick smoke into the sky. Their black cannons and sturdy armor spoke of their immense power.
Beyond the dozens of warships were over a hundred requisitioned passenger and cargo ships, which would serve as the main transport vessels to carry the Knightly Army to distant shores.
The raven cawed a few times, flapping its wings as it flew toward Albion. The moment it left Bretonnian territory, the raven's body burst into multicolored Chaos flames.
So this is the Sun King and his army?
That Mannfred was right. It's unwise to confront them head-on!
But what if this Sun King and his army were lured deep into Albion, where my forces could crush them in one fell swoop?
If I could bring down this Sun King, my master would surely reward me!
Reward me, Egilmar von Horstmann, the greatest Light Wizard of all time, the most loyal and faithful servant of the Raven God!
Sun King, my master's chosen champion, Zaanek, and I have already chosen the place where you will fall.
And besides us, the escaped Daemon Prince of the First Circle is also eager to join us.
We will be waiting for you in Albion!
"Caw~ Caw~ Caw~"
The distant cawing of crows made Ryan, standing on the high platform, instinctively turn his gaze to the distant sky. But under the setting sun, the air was filled with the sounds of birds, and the distance was too great. Ryan could only vaguely sense that something had been watching him.
Many things watched him, and Ryan didn't pay it much mind. The king inspected the army, while the high platform was filled with the presence of illustrious generals.
After fighting alongside Ryan for so many years, Bretonnia had produced countless military geniuses.
For this expedition to Albion, six marshals—François, Baudry, Calard, Rokossovsky, Bertrand, and Davout—would accompany him. Each, except for Marshal Rokossovsky, would command a large army of several thousand. Baudry would command the navy. As for magic, Ryan surprisingly chose not to bring Theresa or Aurora to deal with Albion's damp and cold environment, nor did he bring the Prophetesses of the Lady under Morgiana. Instead, he chose to bring Veronique and her three-hundred-strong sorceress coven, along with Olica. The dark elf maid would be responsible for collecting and analyzing Albion's artifacts, and her dark magic would be particularly effective in such a place.
When Ryan announced he would bring her, Olica's eyes narrowed with delight as she clung to his arm, calling him "Master" repeatedly. The dark elf wore an expression that seemed to say, "Master is mine; you're no longer fit for this version," deliberately provoking Morgiana, much to the Lady's displeasure.
In contrast, both Theresa and Aurora breathed sighs of relief upon hearing Ryan's decision to bring Olica. Even Sylphia, standing a step behind Sulia, relaxed visibly. The head maid looked at the smug dark elf and thought, Please leave soon! Stop tormenting me!
Ah! Before she leaves, I must remember to ask her to remove the leather lock on me! Sylphia thought sadly. Why don't the lady and His Majesty do something about her bullying me?
"Master, Master!" Olica leaned on Ryan's back, the dark elf licking her lips as she whispered in his ear, "There are many useful things deep in Albion. You made the right choice bringing me!"
"Oh, really?" Ryan felt Olica's curvaceous body pressing against his back, especially the two soft mounds. The Knight King couldn't help but say, "Alright, Olica. This grand expedition likely won't last too long. We need to discuss military affairs now."
"Master~" Olica thought for a moment, then asked in Ryan's ear, "Will your Lady Lilith also be coming?"
"Correct!" Ryan nodded, then added, "Lilith will help us combat Albion's severe corruption and ancient curses."
"Tsk, I could do that too," Olica sounded quite dissatisfied. The dark elf whispered in Ryan's ear, "Master, the appointed day is approaching. Can you help me with something then?"
"What appointed day?" Ryan was puzzled.
"You'll know when the time comes," Olica's voice was unusually serious. "You must help me, Master. Otherwise, you might lose your Olica forever."
"So what exactly is it? You need to tell me," Ryan said helplessly.
"Not yet, Master. We must wait for Him to make a decision," Olica added a few more words before getting up from Ryan's back. She needed to prepare. "Just remember, Master, don't fully trust Lilith's nonsense."
Ryan watched Olica's retreating figure but said nothing more. Instead, he gathered everyone for a meeting.
This time, Bretonnia would deploy approximately 40,000 troops, including two Sea God fleets, making it a formidable force. In front of everyone, Ryan laid out the battle order and operational strategy.
King Ryan would personally lead the Bretonnian Royal Guard, composed of elite troops from Bastonne and the northern nobles, totaling around 11,000 men. This included the Old Guard and the 1st Guard Lancer Regiment, as well as Veronique's sorceress coven and Olica, with Marshal Rokossovsky as his deputy.
Marshal François would lead the armies of Quenelles and Parravon, forming the 2nd Army with around 7,000 men.
Marshal Calard would lead a combined force from Bastonne, Gisoreux, and Montfort, forming the 3rd Army with around 6,000 men.
Marshal Bertrand would lead the 5th Army, composed of elites from Brionne, Bordeleaux, Carcassonne, and L'Anguille, totaling around 6,000 men.
Marshal Davout would lead the 6th Army, the Mousillon Army, with over 3,500 men.
Then there was Marshal Baudry's navy.
At the military meeting, Ryan addressed everyone: "This time, we will conduct a large-scale overseas operation. This war is not only to fulfill our agreement with the Phoenix King of Ulthuan but also to promote the spirit of chivalry and bring righteous purification to the island of Albion. Additionally, during the last expedition, Duke Louen ventured deep into Albion and discovered numerous Chaos altars and ancient ruins left by the Old Ones in the thick fog. This time, in the name of the Lady, we will uncover everything."
"Where does Your Majesty plan to land?" François asked calmly, his gaze fixed on the map of Albion. During the last expedition, the northern knights reaped immense benefits. This time, it was the southern knights' turn to take the lead.
Of course, the rewards from following Ryan were so substantial that François hadn't even fully utilized the spoils from the Eight Peaks Grand Expedition. But wealth was never unwelcome.
"Perhaps landing on the Isle of the Dead would be a good choice?" Calard suggested, looking at the map.
The Isle of the Dead was located south of Albion, a small independent island generally considered part of Albion. There were several Norscan settlements there, which Louen had raided and destroyed during the last expedition, but he hadn't left any troops to garrison the island.
Louen's actions were understandable, as the plan for the last Albion expedition was essentially to raid and pillage along the coast. He had never intended to venture into the dangerous and mysterious interior of Albion.
But this time was different. The Knightly Army would delve deep into Albion's foggy interior, so Calard believed it was necessary to secure a stable rear and a foothold.
"The Isle of the Dead? But that place is full of swamps, with constant rain and storms. There are also many Fimir and Skinwolf tribes on the island," Duke Baudry of Bordeleaux, accompanied by his son Fedemund, shook his head. "It's not suitable as a temporary naval port or supply base."
"Then what do we do? We can't operate without a rear," Marshal Bertrand shook his head. "Your Majesty, Albion is a strange and fog-filled place. Once we venture more than two kilometers inland, we'll have no maps or intelligence. Our information will be extremely limited."
"A rear? Don't we already have one?" Ryan pointed to the southeastern part of Albion.
There, a marked settlement and stronghold stood: Newlan.
It was a new province established by the Empire over a century ago, with a population of around three to five thousand. The former Imperial Supreme Patriarch, Thyrus Gorman, had dedicated himself to uncovering Albion's secrets, especially after his defeat by Gelt led to his resignation.
"Your Majesty means... to borrow the Empire's port and stronghold?" François immediately understood Ryan's meaning, but the old duke didn't agree, which was rare. "But... will the Empire agree?"
"The Empire and we are military allies, and our relations have been excellent in recent years. Since my coronation, there hasn't been a single border skirmish involving more than ten people," Ryan knew what François was thinking. The Knight King smiled. "Borrowing Newlan as a supply base won't be a problem with the Empire."
Everyone nodded. This matter didn't even require Ryan's personal intervention; a simple message would suffice.
"I just feel that mobilizing such a large force to explore Albion's depths, only to let these Empire folks take a share, is a bit unfair," François openly expressed his thoughts, stroking his goatee and shaking his head helplessly. "It feels like we're doing all the work, and they'll surely send people to join us. It's too easy for them."
The other marshals nodded in agreement, even Calard couldn't help but agree. If the Empire were to lend Newlan as a supply base and naval port, they would demand at least a tenth of the spoils and insist on participating in unraveling Albion's mysteries. That was the rule.
Ryan glanced at François, Talleyrand's words still echoing in his ears.
Indeed, the problem of greed had already surfaced. In the past, having the Empire's assistance and securing a stable supply base would have been cause for celebration. But now, everyone's mindset had shifted. They wanted more; they wanted to monopolize everything.
I can do it. I can handle it. Why should I share what's rightfully mine?
Fortunately, everything was still under Ryan's control.
Thus, the decision to borrow Newlan from the Empire was finalized. After the meeting, Ryan immediately sought out Morgiana and Sulia. The Knight King took the hands of the Lady of the Lake and the Queen Consort, saying earnestly, "Morgiana, Sulia, this expedition to Albion will be swift. We aim to conclude the campaign quickly, but such a large-scale operation cannot be hidden from the eyes of the Old World."
"Therefore, in my absence, you must shoulder the responsibility of protecting the kingdom," Ryan continued. "So, I've made some arrangements in advance, and there are a few things I need to entrust to you."
"Speak, my husband."
"I will listen to you, Ryan."
"I need you to do the following…"
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