Victor stood on the ramparts, not retracting his gaze until Viscount Negus became invisible.

The education of knights permeates the six virtues of valor, wisdom, humility, glory, mercy, and loyalty. Of course, the objects of knightly virtue can only be the nobility: the knight himself, the knight's vassals, the knight's vassals, and also the opponents who are also knights. Negus was a knight to the King of Dord, and his loyalty to the sovereign was unquestionable, otherwise His Majesty Friedrich would not have given him this large territory. However, soon after Negus became lord, he made an agreement with Victor to exchange stones for raw sugar, which was clearly against the will of the lord. While this trade in jaggery was more beneficial to the Kingdom of Dord, it undoubtedly pried a gap in Negus's loyal.

Actually, all lords are the same. The king is the lord of the lord, and the lord swears allegiance to the king as a vassal, but how many lords are really loyal? Victor once swore allegiance to Queen Catherine, and when he turned around, he drew a line with the queen's party. The House of York once swore allegiance to the Crown, but the two sides were almost at war with each other. And the Augustians were once vassals of the Neovestres, didn't they also betray their own lord?

So, loyalty is inversely proportional to distance and fades over time, and it can be promoted as a virtue, but it cannot be maintained by virtue.

As the so-called will not grant the foreign monarch's order. As lord of the western side of the kingdom of Dordor and far from the center of the kingdom, Negus must make the most reasonable choice when faced with a gnoll and a powerful neighbor, even against the will of His Majesty Friedrich.

If this is the case for the great knight of the wind system who was born as a nobleman of the court, what about Mayor Butz and Old Hamm of Raven Town?

Nestled in the Raliel Mountains and bordering the Kingdom of Dordor, Raventown is blessed with a unique geographical situation, and in Victor's planning, it is an outpost that monitors Ant-Man, a processing point for mountain resources, a foreign trade port, and a black market for smuggling caravans. Raventown's prosperity is just around the corner, and the covetousness of various forces is also predictable, but it is too far away from Randall's territory, and Victor has too many things to do, even if there is a message from the alchemy crow, he will not be able to keep an eye on the affairs of the north. Butz and Hamm Sr. will face intricate problems and pressures from all sides, and they will learn that compromise is inevitable, and then there will be infiltration, intimidation, bribery, bribery and temptation from all sides. Anyway, Victor won't expect much from the loyalty and abilities of these two guys, they are civilians after all.

Civilians are equivalent to soft persimmons, which are flattened when pinched.

If there was a soft persimmon resting next to Randall's collar, even if it was surnamed August, Victor would have to reach out and pinch it.

Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, who makes you easy to pinch?

The monsoon wind howled, Victor's cloak hunted, and Renault stood beside him, motionless, like wood.

This guy is loyal and invincible, but who would have thought that he was not yet 5 years old, and when he was 15 years old, he would burp again, and then become 1 year old again.

Victor glanced at Renault and asked, "Big man, what are you looking at?"

Renault followed Nelson's example, touched his head, and replied, "My lord, I'm looking at Miss Bertina, and you told me to keep an eye on her when it's okay." ”

The castle was bustling with people, busy expanding the fence and building sheds to accommodate a larger population, as well as cattle, sheep and livestock. The adults are working in an intense and orderly manner, while the children are playing and playing with Bertina.

In a clearing behind the fence, Bell, with his hands behind his back and his stomach bold, was directing a large group of children to practice the squire stance. The children, the eldest of whom was ten years old, and the youngest of whom were still dragging their noses, stood there jagged, one by one, with their chests held up, respectfully, and examined by Bertina. The adults all smiled knowingly when they passed by, and if it was usual, they would have brought these bear children over to help.

One day after she arrived, Bertina had mingled with the children of Raventown, and not only the children of the people were obedient to her, but the children of the freedmen also circled around her. Although the dirty little maid's dress played a role, it was more of Bertina's own charm. Victor was sure of that.

There was a light footstep behind him, and Victor didn't have to look back to know that it was Lilia. Lilia stepped closer, followed Victor's gaze down, then sneered and shook her head, "Bell looks like a queen." ”

"Queen? well, the child queen. Victor laughed and said, "Look at her mud...... Didn't she keep saying that she wanted to be a good noble maid? This is not what a noble maid should be. ”

Lilia bowed her jaw and said, "All the children of commoners dream of becoming noble squires, and Bell is lucky, but she is still young, and it is time to be playful." When she's older, she won't play with these children. ”

For commoners, being a noble squire is equivalent to stepping into the world of nobles and immediately becoming the best of the best. Under normal circumstances, nobles only selected their attendants from among the children of vassals, and it was almost impossible for ordinary commoners to become noble attendants. The little squires of the Randall family were lucky to meet a master like Victor. However, what Victor can give, other nobles can give, as long as it is necessary.

"It seems that I can't count on status to maintain my rule over Raventown. Victor muttered.

Lilia asked with a confused expression, "What are you talking about, honey?"

"Nothing. Victor shook his head and asked, "Have Boots and Old Hamm arrived?"

"They are waiting for your summons. Lilia nodded, and said, "By the way, the captive has made it clear." ”

"Duke Erickson had recruited 14 midshipmen and more than 700 soldiers among mercenaries and outcasts. After the Duke's death, the army collapsed, and with the exception of a few naturally awakened probationary knights who were accepted into the new family, most of them served Viscount Negus as prisoners, but were not recognized by Viscount Negus. Viscount Negus claimed that after the Gnolls were exterminated, he would only accept the best 3 midshipmen and 100 soldiers, while the rest would be pardoned. ”

Lilia stroked her windswept hair and said cautiously, "My lord, the captive wants to see you." ”

Victor glanced at her and asked lightly, "What do you suggest?"

"He wants to be loyal to you. Lilia lowered her head and muttered, "I think it's better to be executed." Not only did he kill two elite soldiers, but he also confessed to knowing the secrets of the elite soldiers. ”

"On the battlefield, each is his master, and each has a destiny. But it is a shame to kill a captive! unless he is guilty. Victor asked slowly, "Is he guilty?"

"He knows our secrets, and he can't be trusted, because he's turned his back on his comrades!" Lilia argued.

"I think he made the right judgment. As for the secret...... Are there still few people who know about elite soldiers?I have already disclosed the secret form of the barberry and the secret form of the spirit monkey to the York family, what are you afraid of leaking?" Victor chuckled, and said with a straight face: "Lilia, you are no longer a mercenary who licks blood with a knife head. You have to have a bigger picture to face more complex challenges. It's easy to kill a person, but it's hard to tolerate a person, it's harder to tolerate a group of people, and we're doing the hardest thing to accommodate thousands of people. If someone joins, there will be spies peeping into our secrets, there will be bribes, there will be betrayal, this is inevitable and irrelevant. ”

"Outside the house there were storms, wolves and beasts, sweet fruits, and sweet springs. If we huddle in the house, we can only turn into a scrawny dwarf. We will go out of the house, be tempered by the storm, lie down on the wolves and beasts, taste the fruits, drink the sweet springs, and then grow into giants. ”

Victor was in high spirits, and Lilia was intoxicated, she stared at her lover and muttered, "Honey, what you said is so good. Although I don't quite understand ...... But I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense. ”

Victor: "Uh...... Let's go see the captive. ”

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In the drawing room of Raven Castle, Todd finally met the owner, who sat on the throne, with black hair and black eyes, and looked like a handsome young man of 16 or 7 years old, surrounded by beautiful personal maids and majestic armored guards. Todd knew that the age of an adult could not be judged by appearance, so he tried to calm his nervous and anxious mood, and saluted respectfully: "Good day, my lord." ”

"I am Viscount Randall, lord of Gambis, lord of Raven Town. Victor asked lightly, "Your name is Todd, and you are a descendant of that family in the Kingdom of Dordor?"

Todd was silent for a moment, and said dryly: "Venerable Lord Randall, I am not a Duoduo, and I don't have a surname, I ...... My father was a minor nobleman in the Eastern Alliance, and he didn't even have a territory. I am his illegitimate son. ”

"So Todd, I don't have time to go around in circles with you. Victor nodded noncommittally and asked, "You said you want to work for me, why should I believe you?"

"My lord, you are willing to meet me, you have given me the opportunity. Todd settled down and said, "Although I am from a humble background, I am also well versed in the way of knighthood, and I am willing to swear allegiance to you, keep the secrets of your lordship, serve your lords and horses, and never betray them." ”

"The knight's oath is sacred. Victor nodded, and suddenly said, "But you're not a knight!"

"Viscount Negus has just left, and he has not mentioned anything about you from beginning to end, and he has already designated you as bandits. Victor looked at Todd's pale face and said coldly: "You once swore allegiance to Duke Erickson, but you betrayed him!"

Todd's face turned red instantly, and he said excitedly: "I didn't betray the Duke, it was the Duke's cousin who led the Holy Samurai to raid the Secret Castle, I can't resist the church, I can only escape." The situation in the dukedom became a mess, and I wandered in the wild with my men for months, but I could not reach the duke. It was not until the knights of Lord Negus caught us that I learned that Lord Duke had been hanged by His Majesty. ”

"And then you surrendered, and instead of avenging the Duke or protecting his heirs, you served Viscount Negus, invaded Raventown, and after failing, now you have to serve me?" asked Victor sarcastically.

Todd realized that he had no luck, and he staggered like a punctured balloon, and said miserably: "The Duke's sons were killed by his cousin, and I should avenge them, but I didn't." Because, I am not willing to ......" Todd raised his head and said hatefully: "My father is like a stallion, he gave birth to more than a dozen children, not including me, I am just their servant, but I work harder than any of them, I try hard to become a nobleman, I am not willing to die in vain...... I now finally know that no matter how hard I try, I can't become a nobleman, and that lowly blood is my original sin. If I were of noble blood, a Probationary Knight of the Awakening of Nature, would Lord Negus refuse my allegiance?

"Do you think so?"

"Isn't it?" Todd said with a smile: "Cabell is a probationary knight of natural awakening, Lord Duke has a good eye for him, Lord Negus accepts his allegiance, no one accuses him of breaking his knightly oath, Lord Duke's crime of privately minting gold coins is exposed, and only we are bandits...... On the battlefield, Lord Negus never shoots the children of the nobility who wear the blood crest, and he has no mercy for us bastards. We fought each other on the battlefield for a few potions, and the same was true for ordinary soldiers. After a battle, the knights and nobles were treated preferentially, and it was always us who died. The knightly aristocracy has a territory, a fortune, a status, they have everything, we have nothing. It's all because we're not noble enough!"

Victor thought for a moment and asked leisurely, "Can the lord eat a cow in one meal?"

"How is this possible. Todd said dumbfounded.

"Can the lord plant a thousand acres of land?"

"Can a lord wear a hundred sets of armor?"

"Can the lord sleep in a hundred rooms?"

Todd pursed his lips, he seemed to understand what the adult meant. Victor continued: "You see, the cattle and sheep have entered your belly, and you have been given land, and you have put on armor and owned houses. Victor took the adamantite sword from Renault's hand and said, "This is your adamantite sword, of average quality, worth 300 gold soles, I think it was given to you by the Duke of Erickson and bought with private gold coins." ”

"Todd, tell me, is it the will of Duke Erickson or yours to privately mint gold coins?"

The sword slashed through the air and stuck in the crevices of the tiles, the hilt trembling slightly, within reach. Todd was covered in a cold sweat and was speechless.

"If you're loyal, dissuade Erickson from smuggling gold coins!"

"I ......"

"You mint gold coins privately in the name of the lord, open up territories in the name of the lord, start a civil war in the name of the lord, you don't fight, who fights, who do you sacrifice? Does this have anything to do with whether the blood is noble or not?" Victor's eyes are deep, his words are like swords, and he is merciless, "Duke Erickson died of greed, and he died of the loyalty lies you weaved!"

Todd fell to his knees in front of the sword, facing the sharp blade.

Victor said disappointedly: "Todd, you are full of aristocratic thoughts, but you don't know what loyalty is. There will be no loyalty if you only look at your own interests. ”

"To tell you the truth, the secret you think is not a secret, it is just a clever secret method of martial arts training, the York family knows it, and the church knows it, I want to exchange this secret method for the secret method of the church, but the church doesn't look down on it. ”

"It's impossible, they obviously have the strength to surpass the apprentice knights!" Todd struggled.

"Hmph! Your horizons limit your imagination. I don't care if you leak my so-called secrets, but I don't allow you to spread rumors. I can't give you what you want, I can only give you two choices, die with dignity, or run for your life with your sword and become a bandit, and by the way pray not to be overtaken by my soldiers. Make a choice. Victor sneered.

Todd drew the sword with a trembling hand, and with a twist of the blade, a deep wound was cut on his face, followed by another sword, until the blood flowed all over his face, like a ghost.

"My lord, I don't want to be a bandit. Please give me a chance to serve you as a civilian. Todd was on the ground with his sword, half-kneeling in a pool of blood, and his hand holding the sword was as steady as a rock.

Victor was silent for a moment and said, "This is your only chance. ”

"Thank you, sir. Todd bowed.

"Take him down and take care of his wounds. Victor waved his hand, and the two guards carried Todd, weakened by bleeding, out of the room.

Lilia stared at the blood stains on the ground for a while, and said with emotion: "This guy is so ruthless, do you believe him?"

"I want to prove one thing. ”

"Proof of what?" asked Lilia, curious.

Victor smiled confidently, "As long as I stay right, my men will remain loyal because they will not betray themselves." ”