Duke's words came out to everyone's surprise, and the knights did not expect that the so-called court mage was a dark mage. They didn't even realize that the new plate armor on their bodies was made by witches, which simply subverted their common sense.

The witches also did not expect that Duke would say such a thing in front of the knights, and even several young witches couldn't help but shed tears when they heard it. They are treated like calamities, so the calamities are unscrupulously pushed on them, and they have suffered too much injustice.

As a result, I didn't expect that the lord would speak for them openly, and even denied that they were a symbol of evil. This time, Rose finally believed that the message was written by the Great Witch of Hera herself, and with such a lord treating her fairly, it is indeed possible for Storm Castle to become a family.

Seeing them all standing in the snow in shock, Duke also understood that what he was saying now was too shocking for them to accept at once. So he just said lightly: "Let's go back first, you will slowly get used to this matter." ”

When Cassel heard Duke's words, he didn't immediately ride his horse, but muttered in his mouth: "But the Holy See has given them to the evil witches, and no city on the continent is allowed to take them in, so they must be reported to the Inquisition." ”

The Holy See is still supreme in the hearts of the people of this world, and Duke's actions have clearly violated the ideas of the Holy See. If it weren't for the fact that Duke had built up a high personal prestige in the process of holding Storm Castle, these knights might have been shaken.

In the face of Cassel's hesitation, Duke understood that this day was to be brought after all, and the Storm Legion he had created could not make the Holy See a "Emperor" like an existence. If one day he does disagree with the Holy See because of a difference in philosophy, make sure that the Storm Legion is firmly on his side.

So Duke looked at Cassel and Storm Knight and yelled, "Storm Knight, who are you loyal to!"

"Viscount Duke!"

All the Storm Knights subconsciously shouted such a slogan, and this slogan was also one of the sentences in the booklet compiled by Duke when the Storm Legion was founded. Duke had already begun to consciously grasp ideological education, and today these actions have begun to work.

"Yes, you owe allegiance to me, not to the Holy See. One more thing you should remember is that in the most difficult time of Stormcastle, it was we who guarded our families and loved ones, not the Holy See who watched from above. As a Storm Knight, I want you to abide by your own rules, obedience is the first duty of a soldier, and loyalty is your creed and life!"

The Holy See's grip on secular power is not unbreakable, and for thousands of years powerful emperors have constantly tried to challenge theocracy. Otherwise, there would be no other world, King Philip IV of France, who forced the Holy See to move to Avignon, France, and imprisoned seven popes in a row, thus causing the famous "Prisoner of Avignon".

The army is the foundation of the imperial power to challenge the divine power, and the professional soldiers are also one of the least affected by the divine power, because they accept stricter standards and disciplines. Duke originally wanted to make everyone in the Storm Legion slowly change their minds and be loyal to themselves without reservation through the ideological education of the army similar to the "political commissar".

As a result, the sudden occurrence of this incident today made him have no choice, either to be loyal to himself in secular power or to the Holy See, and he could only choose one of the two.

Cassel and the knights looked at Duke, and they struggled incomparably in their hearts, on the one hand, the outlook on life that began at birth, and on the other hand, the admiration and respect for Duke.

Indeed, as Duke said, Stormcastle can be defended, and his relatives can survive. It doesn't depend on the Holy See, but on the results of the lord in front of him who is in danger and desperately fights to the death. Moreover, with the various reforms of the lord, Storm Castle has become stronger day by day, and the treatment of soldiers has been greatly improved, and they have worn one of the best plate armor on the mainland.

and his own family, there is no need to be afraid, the people of Storm Castle are not hungry and cold, and even the possibility of epidemic has been extinguished by the lord. Even in the face of a more powerful army of monsters, everyone did not have the panic they had at the beginning, but were confident that they could defend Storm Castle, because the lord did not give up, and he gave everyone hope.

"I, Captain Cassel of the Storm Knights, swear allegiance to my lord!"

After Cassel shouted this, the other Storm Knights did not hesitate and shouted at Duke, "Swear allegiance to Lord Lord!"

In fact, these Storm Knights were able to survive the reform and stay, which in itself is a strong-willed group that is very loyal to Duke, and it is not very surprising that they can do this. And this can be regarded as a solution to Duke's long-standing concerns, and there is no need to hide the aspect of witches and dark mages in the future.

As long as there are no internal contradictions, the benefits of a broken place like Storm Castle with a high mountain and a distant emperor will also be revealed, that is, under normal circumstances, no one will pay attention to it at all, and it will not attract the attention of the Holy See or anything.

"Very well, the Storm Guards should be fighting for Storm Castle. After saying this to the Storm Knight, Duke turned to look at the witch, "You guys should come back to the city with me first." ”

When Rose heard Duke's words, she didn't reply but nodded, and everything that happened in front of her made her believe everything Duke said. It's just that she almost assassinated Duke before, so she doesn't know how to face this new lord.

"Thank you, my lord. Nicole looked at Duke gratefully and helped Rose answer.

Duke didn't say much, just smiled and said he didn't care, and then turned his horse's head and prepared to walk towards the city, first settling down the group of little witches for a while, and then thinking about how to solve the matter of the hydroelectric factory.

However, it didn't take long for Duke to discover a problem, that is, this group of ragged little witches, hungry and cold, walked very slowly in the snow, and were soon left behind by themselves.

His group of big men rode forward on horses, and a group of little loli shivered and staggered on the snow, and after noticing this situation, Duke instantly felt a little unbearable. After all, he is still the value of later generations, even if it is a group of witches, they are also a vulnerable group.

Duke grabbed the reins and shouted to the knight beside him, "Storm Knight dismount!"

In the face of Duke's sudden order, although Cassel didn't know what to do, they still carried it out immediately.

Standing in the snow, Duke looked at the witch who was slowly walking towards him and said, "It's too cold in the snow, you guys should get on your horse and walk for you, so that you can get back to Storm Castle quickly." ”

When Duke said this, everyone looked at Duke in surprise. Especially these knights, it was a bit unacceptable to let them accept the witch in the first place, and now they still have to let the horse.

The same is true of witches, even if they don't consider themselves evil, but in the face of the status of women in the Middle World, coupled with the inferiority caused by long-term discrimination, they all take it for granted that they walk on the snow, which is also the rule of the Middle Ages.

As a result, the lord in front of them actually let them get on the horse, and even for a moment the witches wondered if they had heard it wrong.

"Lord, we are knights, and they are witches!"

Cassel still couldn't help but remind him of the difference in status, even if there was a gap between commoners and nobles, let alone witches with no status.

"Cassel, what's the second article of the military manual?"

"Serve the people!"

"Very well, these witches will also be the people of Stormcastle in the future, as a soldier, this is your duty. As a knight, gentlemanly demeanor is also one of your noble qualities!"