Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Knights’ Audience, Dark and Elusive
「The Swamp Territory. Outside the Baron Castle.」
"Quick, look! It’s the Lord!"
The great gates of the Baron Castle opened, and York erged, followed by seven Knight’s Squires and fifty militian.
Eight riders and fifty n on foot, all with serious expressions, swiftly headed out of town.
The passersby in the small town outside the castle all looked rather surprised.
"It’s almost evening. Why is the Lord taking soldiers out of town? Did sothing happen?"
A rcenary watched in surprise as the party from the Baron’s Mansion departed, looking both nervous and confused.
"It must be a small pack of Demon Beasts that’s appeared in the farmlands at the edge of the territory."
"This isn’t the first ti the Baron has done sothing like this."
"Relax. The Lord returns victorious every ti. It’s normal for a new rcenary like you not to know that," the owner of a small streetside shop told the rcenary who was browsing his wares.
"A Beast Tide?" The rcenary tensed.
Seeing the rcenary’s reaction, the shopkeeper laughed.
"A Beast Tide? That’s just a rumor from the outside world. This is just a normal wandering pack of beasts."
"It’s funny, I’ve noticed that you young, new rcenaries are all a bit too tense."
The shopkeeper shook his head, looking relaxed. He’d clearly dealt with this situation more than once.
"Young man, think about it. If there really were a Beast Tide, do you really think the Baron is a fool?"
"A man of his high station would never put himself in harm’s way. So, if there were a massive Beast Tide, a truly unstoppable danger, the Baron’s Mansion would have evacuated imdiately."
"In short, you have to believe that a noble lord like the Baron certainly values his life more than we do."
The shopkeeper spoke with confidence, but the rcenary remained skeptical.
"Is that really true? I rember there was a Beast Tide in the Swamp Territory a year and a half ago, and the Baron didn’t retreat then, did he?"
The shopkeeper roared with laughter at his words. "Pfft! You call that a Beast Tide? That was just a pack of harmless little beasts attacking the territory, nothing more."
"During that incident, the Baron only made a big show of it to prove his martial prowess. Otherwise, the Tier Three Giant Lizard he’s bonded with would have been more than enough to eliminate that small pack."
"So, I have to ask, what do you outsiders really think of our Swamp Territory? Do you really believe we’re living in so kind of dire straits?"
Hearing the shopkeeper’s explanation, the rcenary stared blankly for a mont, then fell into deep thought.
Then, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, he ca to a sudden realization.
’Damn it! Have I been tricked? Could it be a plot by the major rchant guilds? Are they trying to monopolize the profits from all the Demon Beast resources in the Swamp Territory?’
’But the Duke’s Mansion couldn’t have been fooled as well, right? The Korola Highlands are already under martial law. What is really going on here?’
At this point, the rcenary was lost again, feeling like it was all too much for him to figure out.
Just as the rcenary was lost in thought, two figures suddenly rushed past him.
The two were shrouded from head to toe in gray cloaks and running without pause.
They were moving quickly, yet they strangely produced no sound or gust of wind. It was as if the people around them couldn’t see them at all.
And just like that, without anyone noticing, the two cloaked figures began following the Lord’s party from a distance.
——————
So ten miles from the town in the Swamp Territory, York once again arrived at the edge of the familiar region.
But this ti was different from the last.
He had not co alone this ti.
"Everyone, spread out. Set a periter using the previous markers and stand guard. Do not let anyone who dares to spy on this place pass."
"If you find any spies, kill them without hesitation."
York issued the command to the fifty militian before him.
"Yes, my Lord!"
The fifty militian, clad in good-quality Light Armor, already carried themselves with the air of an elite force from an old noble house.
They had been training for over two years, with veterans ntoring the new recruits.
These n could now be considered true soldiers of the Swamp Territory, no longer just common militia.
York was very pleased with the bearing of these soldiers.
At the sa ti, York ordered one of his household Knight’s Squires to stay behind and command the n.
"Lu Wen, you will remain here and take charge of everything."
"Yes, sir!"
A trace of regret flashed in the eyes of the Knight’s Squire, Lu Wen, but he still loyally chose to carry out the command without hesitation.
York nodded in satisfaction. Without another word, he led the six Knight’s Squires, whose hearts were aflutter with both excitent and trepidation, toward the swamp inside the forest.
’A god? The God of Radiant Light? What kind of being could that be?’
By this point, the Knight’s Squires behind York were already letting their imaginations run wild.
They imagined all sorts of scenarios.
So good, so bad.
But when they finally traversed a forest path and saw the being that had appeared in the center of the open swamp ahead, they were all so stunned they couldn’t speak!
In the center of the swamp before them, a massive boulder had appeared at so unknown ti.
And on the flat platform atop that massive rock, a creature that should have existed only in legends and picture books now appeared, as if in a deep slumber.
"That shape... that size!"
"A dragon!!!"
"It’s a Giant Dragon! Even if it’s not a true Giant Dragon, it must be a powerful mber of a Sub-dragon Species!"
"Deities above, isn’t the Lord’s Magic Pet a Giant Lizard?! Don’t tell
the God of Radiant Light our Lord spoke of has chosen a new Demon Beast to be its mortal vessel?!"
...
At that mont, the feelings of these Knight’s Squires mirrored York’s own when he first signed his contract with Lince.
The squires were shocked. Horrified. Utterly at a loss. In short, they were filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and fear.
However, while the group of Knight’s Squires stood frozen in horror, York had already dismounted with practiced ease.
"What are you all standing around for?!"
"Quickly, join
in paying respects to His great Majesty! Do not be discourteous in the presence of a god!"
Only then did the squires snap back to their senses and hastily dismount.
Just then, the draconic beast on the boulder seed to awaken, suddenly raising its head to cast an impassive gaze toward the shore.
That gaze was filled with a pressure that made one’s heart pound in their chest.
rely being stared at by it made the hearts of Paul and the other Knight’s Squires tighten in their chests, their breathing becoming difficult and oppressed.
’So they’ve co?’
’The timing is pretty good. This is a perfect chance to promote the Rock Steel Giant another level.’
’Add to that the quality upgrade for the Magic Crystal Ore... It’s ti to begin. I have to live up to my status as a "god," after all.’
Lince initiated the process with a single thought.
[Player has designated Magic Crystal Ore for upgrade to Middle Tier. Confird. Upgrade comncing.]
[Player has confird receipt of
25% Growth Level for played character.]
As the two lines of text flashed before Lince’s eyes, the very next mont, the ground throughout the entire Swamp Territory and many of its surrounding areas began to tremble without warning.
At the sa ti, a violent storm of Magic Power began to swirl, with the swamp as its epicenter.
ROAR!!!
A high-pitched roar echoed from the Giant Dragon.
The next mont, under the terrified, helpless gazes of the squires, it spread its draconic wings and rose to its full height!
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