The investiture ceremony came to a perfect close amid enthusiastic congratulations, and as expected, it was followed by a grand banquet.
The crowd filed into the slightly quiet banquet hall, where a lavish spread had already been prepared. Wine filled the cups, and platters of meat lined the tables, little different from the victory feasts held in the Royal Domain.
Ranni ate calmly, one bite after another. Her doll body seemed to have no effect on the Princess's appetite.
Raziel pressed his lips together, clearly wanting to speak, but seeing the princess enjoying her meal, he hesitated to interrupt.
The knight beside him was caught in his own dilemma, until the Troll War Counselor cleared his throat softly and spoke in a low voice.
"Knight Raziel, if you have something to say, feel free to speak."
Ranni set down her knife and fork and looked over. As she lifted her head, the faint sound of swallowing could still be heard.
Did a doll's body really have a sense of taste? Where did the food go after it was eaten? Was its internal structure the same as a living person's? If so, could it do everything a normal person could?
Nolan's thoughts wandered freely. Watching Her Highness the Princess, curiosity stirred within him, though he wisely kept those questions to himself.
Asking something like that would be far too disrespectful to the princess's dignity. If she took offense and decided to slap him in the face with the Dark Moon, that would be no joke.
While Nolan was wondering if he might someday find a chance to learn the legendary sorcery known as "Dark Moon," Raziel finally spoke.
"It's still the prisoners from the Royal Domain. We've already sent several Albinauric units over and managed to persuade some to surrender,"
"But there are simply too many of them. They're difficult to manage. I was thinking about transferring part of them to the fortress for confinement."
Iji nodded, but did not respond immediately, clearly weighing the feasibility of the idea. After a short while, he shook his head.
"The fortress is already short on manpower. Bringing them in wouldn't make management any easier. And you all know Her Highness's situation. It would give those sneaky types a chance to slip inside."
Loretta nodded in agreement. After thinking for a moment, she said,
"The magic amplification array will be completed soon. Once it's finished, my arrows will be able to cover the entire perimeter outside the fortress, ensuring the Cuckoo can't get in."
"In that case, we could simply recall the Royal Domain's soldiers back to the fortress," she continued. "Let the Cuckoo and the Academy tear into each other. We can wait until the timing is right before making our move."
"No," Iji rejected the idea at once. "Liurnia of the Lakes survives because of the lake. Once the fortress is sealed off, we'll be relying only on the mountain forest behind us. How long do you think the soldiers could hold out like that?"
Ranni, as their sovereign, lowered her head slightly. A trace of contemplation flickered in her eyes, but she did not give a final answer. Just as the werewolf was about to speak, the princess asked,
"Knight Nolan, you may speak freely here. Do you have any thoughts?"
Is this a test for a newcomer?
Nolan raised an eyebrow. He hadn't forgotten that he came from the Haligtree. But Ranni's trust was clear, and there was no conflict of interest between Caria and the Haligtree. After a brief pause, he spoke.
"The captives from the Royal Domain, as well as the militia coerced by the Cuckoos, mostly come from Testu's Island and the surrounding towns. I think we should send troops to Testu's Island."
"But our forces…" Iji cautioned.
Nolan smiled faintly. Whether Caria accepted his suggestion was not up to him. He simply said what he believed needed to be said.
"After this battle, the Cuckoos still has more troops overall, but not enough to overwhelm Caria outright. They don't have the confidence to take the Royal Domain, and they also have to guard against the Academy. That's why they're holding position in their main camp."
"The fortress's magic array is nearly complete. Knight Loretta has said she can hold back the Cuckoos on her own, and I believe her. That means we can redeploy the troops stationed inside the fortress."
"The Cuckoos don't have enough strength right now to properly defend Testu's Island. If we seize that area, we can form a mutual defensive line with the Royal Domain, supporting each other like the horns of a pincer."
"Given the terrain of the fortress, the Cuckoos can only attack from the southern lakeshore and the eastern lake region. No matter how large their army is, they can't bypass these two defensive lines, much less take this place."
"As for the prisoners of war, they were Carian citizens to begin with. Once we reclaim their homeland, the chances of them accepting our terms will be much higher."
"And if it really comes to it, even releasing them all would be fine. They wouldn't go back to serving as Cuckoos militia. On top of that, the towns around Testu's Island are fairly prosperous. We could replenish both manpower and supplies along the way."
"More importantly, Testu's Island is a key supply hub for the Cuckoos. Once we seize it, they'll only be able to maintain their logistics through the island zones around Gatefront Town."
"To preserve their strength and to make the Magic Academy feel Caria's pressure, the Cuckoos might even pull their main force back from the northern shore to the area south of the Four Belfries."
Nolan felt a quiet sense of reflection. There was no denying it, this battle felt like a turning point, subtly altering the course of many things.
Perhaps in the original timeline, the Cuckoos would have taken the Royal Domain this time, then pressed on to assault Caria Manor. The fortress's already limited troops would have been worn down completely, the magic array finally completed, and then Loretta would have sent them all to their deaths with her greatbow.
But now, the outcome was different. The Cuckoos had been driven back, and Nolan had become Ranni's Dark Moon Knight.
"Your Highness, I believe Knight Nolan's proposal is excellent!"
Iji burst into laughter and applauded loudly, the booming sound echoing through the spacious hall, carrying a clear note of approval for Nolan.
No one questioned the Dark Moon Knight's assessment of the fragile alliance between the Cuckoos Legion and the Magic Academy.
The Cuckoos couldn't take the fortress on their own, yet they were unwilling to withdraw from Liurnia of the Lakes. That meant they had to ensure the Magic Academy still needed them.
And how does one make themselves indispensable? By creating a threat that cannot be ignored.
Others might not understand the true nature of those people, but the Carian knew it well. The Cuckoos had no loyalty, and for the sake of profit, they would resort to anything.
"Indeed," Ranni said. "Once the magic array is complete, there's no point in keeping so many troops tied down in the fortress. Loretta alone is worth an army."
She frowned slightly, one hand resting against her chin, her single open left eye fixed firmly on her knight.
"That said, this is a matter of great importance. It requires careful discussion."
"Of course," Nolan replied. "I was only offering a suggestion. The final decision is yours, Your Highness."
"Then that will be all for tonight's banquet," Ranni said. "The Royal Domain still needs you to oversee things. Raziel, take Nolan back first."
Nolan had spoken for quite some time and was just about to take a sip of wine to wet his throat when he was abruptly dismissed. Left with no choice, he followed the Carian Knight out.
"Does Her Highness not like me?" Nolan asked. "This is my first time offering advice, and I'm already being sent away?"
"Uh… I think Her Highness just isn't sure how to proceed yet," Raziel said after some thought. "She's probably asking Iji for his opinion."
He lifted his head slightly, sounding confident in his conclusion.
"Don't take it to heart. Her Highness really does value us. She's just a bit… awkward when it comes to dealing with people."
"You seem to know her well," Nolan said with a sigh of admiration.
"Of course," Raziel replied proudly. "I watched Her Highness grow up." Then he rubbed his stomach. "Come to think of it, I didn't eat nearly enough."
"Let's head back to the Royal Domain," Nolan said with a grin. "We can celebrate last night's victory too. After such a big win, how could we not drink properly?"