“…… Sir, did you just let that old guy go? ”

In Art's camp at the edge of the basin, Ron was puzzled by his master's kindness to the ungrateful old fellow.

In the tent, Art stood not far from the curtain, not saying a word, with mixed feelings in his heart. In my memory, this old knight who once served the Wells family was quite honest and did not show any dissatisfaction with the old Wells. Moreover, this person took unusual care of Yat when he was young. I don't know if he did it on purpose, trying to win favor in front of old Wells, or if he had other plans.

But when the Wells family was wiped out, the old knight not only did not send troops to support, but did not even have the most basic support. Again, he did not collude with Wade. Burley framed his own family. It's just that the Wells father and son disappeared without a trace when they needed manpower the most, maybe he had already anticipated the end of the Yat father and son~

"Master~" Ron stepped forward and shouted softly.

"You just want to know why I left him alive?" Art turned.

"Hmm~"

"The reason is simple, he's also avoiding Walder. Burley. Moreover, he still has a lot of clansmen who are quite effective in battle. They hid for years in the valley to the south but were not overshadowed by Wad. Burley found it, enough to show their ability. You say, why should I let them die under my sword like this~"

Ron touched his head, a little puzzled.

"Okay, don't ask again, you'll naturally understand my intentions in the future."

"Yes, sir."

"Besides, you immediately send someone back to the valley to call Thomas, the military medic, and ask him to bring a few more assistants with him."

"Master, the injured guy has been sent back, what are you letting Thomas do?"

"Who told you I asked Thomas to come over and heal the wounded?" Art looked at Ron quietly, "Ron, how did I notice that you are talking more and more now. In the past, as soon as you received my orders, you carried them out. It seems like you're dominating me now. ”

"Master, it's me who is too talkative. I shouldn't have asked so much. Ron shut up.

Art chuckled and said, "Since you want to know, I'll tell you." But you remember for me to think more about everything yourself and then ask others. It's much better than what you hear from someone else's mouth. ”

"Yes, sir, I remember." Ron replied sincerely.

"As you know, that old knight has a very high prestige and influence as the leader of this group. If I try to behead him quickly, it will inevitably cause dissatisfaction among his men. The fact that those people could follow him for ten years was enough to show the status of the old knight in their hearts. Art took a sip from his glass and moistened his throat.

"If I had spared his life, those men would have been grateful to Dade and would have sworn their allegiance to me along with the old knight. These people have been in the valley to the south for many years, and they probably already know the surrounding terrain by heart. This can provide a lot of help for us to build the valley in the later stage~"

Ron couldn't help nodding, and at the end, he said, "You are still merciful and full of wisdom, sir." Compared with that old home~ No, compared to that old knight, you don't know how many times more broad-minded. ”

"Okay, don't slap your ass in front of me, my ears are calloused. Hurry down and make arrangements, don't make a mistake. I'll talk to the old knight later, and find out the situation on the south side of the valley as soon as possible~"

With Art finished, Ron was ordered to leave.

…………

"Master Christopher, is that person really Young Master Art?"

By the wooden bed where the old knight was lying, the strong man who had led the fight against Hans and the others stood beside him. This man was originally an attendant at the old knight's side, but had never met Art himself. The knowledge of the Wells father and son is limited to the fact that the two were branded heretics for spreading discontent against the church and wanted by the Lombard court. For many years after that, they were never heard from again.

Back then, because the old knight didn't come forward, this guy full of chivalry was still a little dissatisfied with this. But with the bloody storm coming, the old knight fled Lombardy with all his people. The man never heard of the father and son again, so he lived in peace in the valley to protect his people from persecution.

cough ~ cough cough ~

"Master Christopher~" The man hurriedly stepped forward to pick up the frail old knight, patting him lightly on the back.

"Grenor," said the old knight to the man, "yes, he is the son of Old Wells, lord of Wellsburg, Art. Wood. Wells. ”

The man's eyes widened, as if he had received shocking news from the old knight's mouth. There was surprise in his eyes, but also a hint of joy.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to survive this summer~" The old knight said and coughed twice. "If I die, you remember, everyone must swear allegiance to Master Art. Back then, I broke a knight's promise and watched Wader. The bastards of the United Church of Burley slandered my lord together. When they were most isolated, I hid like a coward~" The old knight's emotions suddenly became agitated, and tears glistened in his eyes.

"Thank you, Young Master Arte, for not remembering past grievances and forgiving me for the mistakes I made back then. This time, I won't betray him again no matter what. Even now he told me to kill Walder. That bastard of Burley, I'm going to climb over it! ”

"Don't get excited, Lord Christopher." Watching the old knight sobbing, the man was full of emotion. There is both recognition of the old knight's sincere repentance, and admiration for Art's broad-mindedness.

"Over the years, I've been living with guilt about it, and I've stopped blaming myself all the time. I never dared to mention this in front of you~"

"Master Christopher, we all understand you. If you hadn't led us into the valley, we would have been killed by Wad. The bastard from Burley sent someone to kill him. In our eyes, you are our great benefactor~"

The old knight was grateful, and the two hugged each other and wept.

"Lord Earl~"

Outside the tent, the sound of crying was heard inside, and the soldier on duty whispered to Art, who had stood outside the door for a long time and could hear it intently.

Hush~

Art raised his hand and instructed the soldiers to remain silent.

A moment later, Art lifted the curtain and walked in.

"Lord Earl~" Grenor hurriedly half-knelt down and saluted Art.

"Young Master~" The old knight's body trembled slightly, and he slowly removed the felt blanket covering his body with his thin old hands, trying to get out of bed and salute Yate.

"Christopher~" Seeing this, Art hurriedly stepped forward to pick up the old knight who almost fell under the bed.

"Get up, and get him to bed." Art said to Grenor.

"Yes, Lord Count." Grenaud then got up.

The old knight was instantly excited, and tears appeared in his eyes, which were already red from crying.

"I heard from the healers who accompanied the army that you are seriously ill, so don't be overly excited." Art said as he withdrew his hands.

The old knight wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said, "Thank you for your concern." This is an old disease that I have suffered from many years of hard work, and I am old, I am afraid that the period of death is not far away~"

The old knight had long since lost much hope for his body, and it would be a relief if he could go to God and continue to serve as soon as possible.

"Christopher, I've asked the healer, and you're not suffering from an incurable disease."

A light flashed in the old knight's eyes, and he glanced at Greno beside him.

"You're just overworked, and you're too preoccupied and anxious to be so weak. Now there are limited conditions here, and we can't heal you. I have sent back to the valley to bring the chief healer of our army to heal you. With him here, you don't have to worry about your stubborn illness~"

"Thank you young master for saving your life, your great kindness Christopher can't be repaid~" The old knight was excited again. Graynor, who was standing on the sidelines, was also happy with the news.

"This guy is~" Art set his eyes on Grenor.

"Young Master, this is the squire who followed me before, named Greno. Over the years, it is precisely because of him and those young people that more than 100 people in the mountains have been able to survive~" The old knight's heart was full of pride.

"How many people are there in your mountain?" Art asked.

"Young master, there are a total of one hundred and fifty-six people in the mountain. Among them, there are 45 young and strong people, most of whom are hunters and woodcutters, and they have a good understanding of the conditions in the mountains. The rest were old and weak, women and children. ”

Art nodded, and continued, "As far as I know, the beasts in the mountains are infested with impermanence, and the arable land is not only barren, but it is difficult to find even a slightly flat plot. How do you provide for so many people? ”

The old knight and Greno looked at each other and smiled.

"Lord Earl, we young men are all hunters and woodcutters, and we are not worried that we will not be able to meet those wild beasts. Without them, what would we do to support our family~" The three people in the tent laughed.

"Yes, sir, our meat is mainly obtained by hunting." The old knight continued, "Besides, there is some slightly flat land in the mountains where grain can be grown, and the total is about one hundred and fifty acres. When there was not enough food, we took the skins and meat from the mountains and went out to exchange food and other household items. This goes back and forth, and there is an occasional surplus over the course of a year. ”

"There are many inconveniences in the hills and dense forests, why don't you just reclaim the large area of land by the lake?" Art asked, puzzled.

"Young master, I'll tell you the truth, when we fled all the way north, the pursuers of that bastard of Wader had already chased them to the vicinity of the lake. If it weren't for the high mountains and dense forests ahead, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to escape. Later, we had to hide in the mountains and occasionally go to the lake with our own nets to fish. ”

"What! You mean that the bastard has been here before? Art asked suddenly.

"Yes, young master. But they left and never returned. Over the years, we have been careful to hide our whereabouts, and no one has come to us. ”

Art breathed a sigh of relief.

After a few moments, Art asked, "Christopher, would you like to swear allegiance to me again?"

The old knight thought he had misheard, and was stunned for a moment.

"Young master, I am willing! All of my men are loyal to you! The old knight said excitedly.

"Good! Christopher listens! ”

The old knight got up in a hurry, and with the help of Greno, he fell to his knees.

"In the name of the Earl of Wales Province in the southern border of the Marquis of Burgundy, the commander of the Southern Garrison Legion, and the defender of the Province of Wales, I canonize you as the Knight of the Inner Mansion under my name."

"By God's testimony, Christopher swears allegiance to Lord Earl! If you disobey it, you will go to hell after death! The old knight said loudly. Greno, who knelt down together, also bowed his head and bowed.

"Grenor listens!"

Grenor looked up suddenly, surprised.

"Previously, you were Christopher's squire. Burley's persecution forced him to flee. Now, I make you a knightly squire of Christopher, the knight of the Inner House under the province of Wales. Would you like to? ”

"Thank you, Lord Count. I do! I do! ”

"Get up."

Immediately, Grenor picked up the old knight and stood up.

"Christopher, now that I am the Earl of Wales, the whole valley has been given to me as a domain by the Marquis. You, as a knight under my name, move your men out of the mountains as soon as possible. When the time comes, I will let the valley artisans build you houses, so you don't have to hide anymore. ”

"This~"

"What, reluctant to get out of there?"

"No, no, young master. It's just that there is still food growing in the mountains, and once we leave, there is no one to take care of the farmland. What a shame it would be to waste that food. The poor and frightened old rider's tone was full of reluctance.

Yate knows that it is not easy for a group.

"It's better to move out first, anyway, this place is not far from the hill, and you can send someone back to take care of it once in a while."

"I am willing to listen to the young master's arrangement."

A few days later, more than 100 people who lived in the hills and forests moved out of the place where they had lived for many years. Yate arranged the group not far from the lake.

On the day they moved out of the forest, the Duke of Lombardy, far to the south, also sent a team of fifteen men towards the valley~

…………

“…… Sir, in two days, we will be able to reach the road into the valley that Count Walder pointed out~" In a small tavern in Sorenburg, a few people drank inferior beer with mixed fruit stew, smoked fish, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Glance north from time to time.

At the beginning of May, the weather was already a little hot. Several of them were wearing only one liner with their chain mail on one side. Even so, I couldn't stop sweating while eating the hot stew.

"Come on, come on, I'll fan a few adults~ look at you hot."

A man dressed as a guy walked over with a fan made of palm leaves.

"Hey, it's so comfortable~" sighed one of the guys who was chewing peas in his mouth.

"I don't know what a few adults are doing on such a hot day, isn't this looking for guilt?" The guy asked casually.

"Hey, don't mention it, we're going to that valley to the north~"

"Shut up!"

Just as the guy who was enjoying the cool was not finished, a leading man next to him suddenly shouted.

The shopkeeper with the fan suddenly stopped, glanced at a few people, and then hurriedly retreated.

"You bastard, you can't keep your mouth shut when you drink too much. Do you listen to what the Duke says?"

"Sir, I don't dare anymore~"

After leaving, the shopkeeper slipped out the back door of the tavern and turned the corner to the end of the alley. He then told the news to another accomplice who had been waiting for a long time......