The gates of Storm's End slowly opened in the morning light, and the drawbridge splashed up the water in the moat as it was lowered.
Hal Duke rode on his warhorse, behind him stood the orderly ranks of the Watchers Legion soldiers, their breastplates stained with the marks of battle, yet all the more rugged they appeared.
Harrison Abbott, dressed in a crisp, dark blue military uniform, stood directly in front of the city gate, while Prince Yuriko stood slightly behind, his magnificent armor gleaming in the sunlight, the gold thread embroidery on his cloak swaying gently in the morning breeze.
"Earl Duke!" Harrison stepped forward and gave a solemn military salute. "Welcome back in triumph! You've had a long and rewarding journey!"
Hal dismounted, his movements slightly slowed by his old injury, yet still steady and powerful. "General Harrison, your recapture of Storm's End is also much faster than we anticipated."
Yurico eagerly stepped forward and warmly grasped Earl Duke's hand: "Hero of the Kingdom! Your feat of recapturing Watcher's Fortress will surely be recorded in history!" His voice was loud, and the nearby soldiers all turned to look.
Hal Duke bowed slightly. "Your Highness is exaggerating. Without Lord Grylls' support and leadership, we could not have made such a smooth progress."
That evening, the hall of Storm's End was brightly lit with candles, and the long table was laden with roasted venison, mead, and fresh bread, while musicians played melodious tunes in a corner.
Yuriko raised his golden goblet high, the wine gleaming amber in the firelight: "To our steel wall—Count Hal Duke!"
The assembled generals responded in unison, and the clinking of wine glasses echoed throughout the room.
"I heard that Marquis Gleman's next move is to deal with those mountain people?" Harrison asked in a low voice.
Earl Duke simply nodded slightly. "It's not certain yet, but the army is moving north, and we are the vanguard. We should at least give those lawless mountain people a warning."
The count's words were laced with hatred. As someone who had a deep-seated hatred for the orcs, he regarded any force that helped the orcs as an enemy. "The stonemason clan must pay the price for harming the Aldor." He shifted his gaze to the window, where the silhouette of the Rocky Mountains resembled a sleeping behemoth in the moonlight.
Yurico, standing nearby, was somewhat disappointed. He had been trying his best to praise the count's achievements, hoping that the count would also boast about himself. He needed a hero like Duke to enhance his own glory, but the count was rather cold towards him.
Emerson Wilder leaned close to Yuriko's ear and whispered, "Your Highness, let those orcs in. Let Earl Duke see that you are not just a prince protected by your brother."
Yuriko's eyes lit up, and he immediately snapped his fingers at the servant: "Bring Yurga and the others in!"
A moment later, the hall door was pushed open, and Yulga led several orc warriors in slowly. They were dressed in the style of the Orcs, much neater than before, and even their fur had been carefully groomed.
As soon as Yulga entered, his cunning yellow eyes quickly scanned the entire room, finally landing on Earl Duke.
"Your Highness!" The orc chieftain knelt dramatically on one knee, his rough hand pressed against his chest. "Your loyal servant is at your command!"
Yurico raised his chin triumphantly, the wine glass in his hand gleaming in the candlelight: "Count Duke, look—this is the chieftain of the Blackbone tribe I have subdued!"
But things took an unexpected turn for the prince.
Hal Duke suddenly stood up, the chair behind him scraping the floor with a screeching sound. The count's sword was already drawn, drawing a cold arc in the candlelight.
"Orcs?!"
His roar was like a thunderclap, and the entire banquet hall fell into a deathly silence. Almost at the same moment, the accompanying Watcher generals rose to their feet, their longswords and battle axes unsheathed, the metallic scraping sounds forming a chilling tremor.
Yulga's pupils contracted sharply, but he immediately raised his arm to stop the orc warrior behind him who instinctively reached for his weapon. He slowly shook his head and growled in orcish, "Don't move."
The air in the hall seemed to freeze. The nobles stood frozen in place. Someone knocked over a wine glass, and the musician's lute slammed to the ground with a thud, its strings vibrating as they emitted their last lingering notes.
Yulga silently led the orcs back a few steps and stood behind Yuriko, their burly bodies casting distorted shadows in the candlelight.
Yuriko's smile froze on his face, his hand hovering in mid-air. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was frozen in place by Count Duke's cold gaze.
The old count lowered his sword slightly, realizing that the orc who had barged into the banquet did not seem to be there to fight him, at least not in the current situation.
His gaze swept over Yulga, then fell back on Yuriko: "Your Highness, what's going on?"
The temperature in the hall plummeted as soon as he spoke in a questioning tone.
Yurico's drunkenness dissipated almost instantly, and cold sweat trickled down his temples.
He set down his glass, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Earl Duke, please calm down." His voice was a little clearer than before, but still trembled slightly. "These orcs have sworn allegiance to the kingdom; they are now our..." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "...redemption warriors."
Count Duke's sword was still not sheathed, but the tip was slightly lowered. His gaze swept over Yulga like a blade, and the latter silently lowered his head.
"Atony?" Hal's voice was low and cold. "Beneath the walls of Watcher's Fortress, the bones of those who died in battle have not yet decayed, and in the villages of the Narodan Corridor, how many families are still grieving!"
Yuriko quickly raised his hand to indicate, "That's exactly why! Let them pay with their blood and sweat—" His tone suddenly rose and then quickly fell again, "I mean... it's more valuable to let them serve the kingdom than to execute them outright, isn't it?"
The atmosphere in the hall remained tense, with the nobles holding their breath and their eyes darting back and forth between Count Duke's sword and Yulga's fangs.
Yuriko's fingers tightened on the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white from the force. "They have sworn an oath to the kingdom!" the prince added, his voice gradually regaining some confidence. "If they dare to betray us, you may kill them without hesitation."
Count Duke did not respond immediately; his gaze lingered on Yulgar for a long time, while the orc chieftain maintained a submissive posture, even slightly bending his knees to show his submission.
Finally, the old count let out a cold snort, slowly sheathing his sword. The sound of metal scraping against metal was particularly jarring in the silent hall.
"I hope Your Highness…" Hal's voice carried an undisguised warning, "that you know what you are doing. You should know that the moral values of the steppe people are very different from ours."
Yurico managed a weak smile, but his face was slightly pale.