I beg you to mobilize Gwendania's forces within a month, we need at least three thousand infantry and two hundred knights. ”

With a satisfied smile, Morischi walked out of the Pratsda Palace. The soldiers of the Order walked loudly, and without looking at the soldiers of Gwendania, followed the deputy commander to the city of Peslav in search of merry.

Grand Duke Ogra sighed and sat down. He looked up at the beams of the house, which were empty, but there was a huge deer head hanging from it. It was the head of an old deer hunted by the ancestors of the Kosatsky family long before the Knights entered Vecchia, and the family always hung it in the palace as a talisman. When the Knights came, they declared that these were pagan cults, whether they were the worship of the sun, the worship of water, or the worship of living beings. When Ogra was a child, he heard his grandfather tell him that the Knights had slaughtered the sacrificial order. It was a dragon worship, and it was extremely dangerous for both the Knights and the Holy See who believed in the same Lord.

Lady Juanna came from the palace quarters. When she saw her husband's look, she knew what was going on.

May the Lord punish those who take it by force. "Lady Youna sat next to her husband.

"Your Lord has turned a blind eye for a long time. Archduke Ogra said.

"You're blaspheming. Lady Youanna said quietly.

"In the time of the dragon sacrifices, the Gwendanians revered the existence of power, but were docile and kind, while the Nords, who believed in the Lord and taught them love and equality, showed no less greed than the dragons. Grand Duke Ogra said indignantly.

At that moment, a servant walked in through the door. The voice was a little strange, and he reported: "Disturb the two adults, there is a man who calls himself Puri Deracuni and asks to see him. ”

"Don't they know. Isn't the Platda Palace a hall of petitions?" said Grand Duke Ogra.

"My lord, this girl...... Somewhat strangely, she claimed...... "The servant stopped."

"Say what?"

She said: "It will allow Gwendania to find peace and independence." ”

Sir Roland walked into Elaine with expectations. The heraldic flag of the Duke of Wickwood's green and golden lion flutters high above the castle tower, demonstrating the Duke of Wickwood's authority and strength. The flags fluttering in the east wind seemed to be the duke's declaration of war. Sir Roland walked through the familiar castle walkway, and the guards along the way treated him with great respect. After all, the Roland family is not of high status. But he has been serving the Virta family for a long time. Today's meeting will change the fate of every Roland in the future.

The last time Elaine was fought was a hundred years ago, and it has long since been transformed by generations of Duke Wickwood to make it more luxurious and livable. And not a fortress in the full sense of the word. The exterior of the castle is still grayish-black, consisting of a tall outer wall and its turrets, but the inner fort is covered with tiger vines, and the corridors are full of gardens. The inner fort hall is even paved with marble floor tiles. The bedrooms of the Duke and the Mademoiselle were carpeted in red. Servants and maids came and went. It's like a duke's version of the Swadia court.

Sir Roland climbed the spiral staircase and waited at the door of the Duke's meeting room. The servant outside the door went in to make a report, and in a few moments the servant opened the door for Sir Roland. The duke, dressed in plain clothes embroidered with green embroidered gold thread, was writing something with a quill pen.

"Welcome, Sir Roland, you may be seated. Duke Wickwood said with a smile, a smile that Roland rarely sees. Roland sat down in front of Duke Wackwood.

"Is Old Man Roland alright?"

"My father is still healthy. My lord. "My mother is fine, too. I just kept complaining as soon as I went back. ”

"What's the complaint?"

"Complaining...... I complained that my father, like me, did not take the opportunity to fight, and ended up living in a small house in the village instead of a castle for the rest of my life. ”

Duke Wakewood smiled and stopped. The servant hurriedly stepped forward and handed over another copy of the text.

"The Roland family has served the Virta family faithfully for decades, and all the nobles of Fort Elaine and even Wickwood are there for all to see. ”

Roland swallowed nervously, "Thank you, my lord. ”

"Now, you and Lord Roland don't have to live in a small mansion. Duke Wickwood picked up the quill, signed his name on the text in front of him, and handed it to Roland. Roland caught it carefully.

"The original lord of Wendesh is old and dead, and there is no heir in the family. In view of the Roland family's service, I have decided to bestow upon you the title of Baron Windersh. Duke Wickwood said.

Roland was stunned for a moment, then excitedly felt his knees tremble.

"Thank you...... Thank you, sir, I ......."

Duke Wickwood patted him on the shoulder and said solemnly, "From now on, you are Baron Windesh." Several earls and barons of Wickwood have also agreed, and as for not telling you until now, it is Miss Eleanor who wants to surprise you. On a side note, it was Eleanor who reminded me of your heroism in the escort. ”

"Miss Eleanor...... Really, so grateful. "Sir Roland, oh no, Lord Roland is already a little incoherent.

"The lordship of the Roland family's original village is still yours. Duke Wakewood continued.

Baron Roland bowed deeply and walked briskly out of the conference room. With a thud, Eleanor stepped out from behind the curtain behind the conference room. She wore an old-fashioned Briott dress, but it didn't match the lavish furnishings of the boardroom.

Duke Wakewood propped up the back of his chair with one hand, turned around and said, "Roland is an honest man, and your trick will make him loyal to you." ”

"No, I just want him to get the reward he deserves. If you give this title to another old man, they will only pretend to be loyal, kiss your hand gratefully, and loot at the same time. ”

"You're becoming more and more like the Countess of Brutz. Duke Wickwood smiled mockingly, but not with malice. He came back to his senses and continued to sign the text. Most of these are expenses for the purchase of food, grass and ordnance, as well as for the recruitment of mercenaries. For some of the minor nobles of West Vecchia, the war almost ruined their families who had never knew moderation, but for the well-run Savaron and Wackwood, they could buy a rival to the Order with money at any time.

Eleanor leaned back in her chair like a cat and whispered into the ear of Duke Wakewood, "Onogu, you haven't rewarded the Guardian Bod yet." He escorted Pope Constance all the way. ”

Duke Wickwood threw down his pen and said impatiently: "Stupid! He's not a nobleman, he's just a mercenary who doesn't know if he's born an illegitimate child." Can't you see that he blindly wants to die, just to seize the upward path. ”

"Only if you give him a chance can he be more loyal to you. Eleanor was a little frightened of Duke Wickwood's tone, "You can't think of people so badly. ”

"Well," Duke Wickwood calmed down, "I'm sorry to speak to you. I'll think about it. ”

Eleanor walked out of the room, leaving Duke Wakewood slowly reminiscing about the conversation in his mind.

Meanwhile, Bode, the Duke's guard, was training with others in the castle grounds. The original Duke's Guard had already been lost in the battle for Frost City, so most of the newly recruited guards were the sons of Wackwood's aristocratic families who had never experienced war. They needed to train, and the surviving Bode was rightfully appointed as a coach by the Duke. It was a strange sight of a group of noble-born young men training under a mercenary. For more than a month, the new guards began to disdain Boy's mercenary status, but after a few trainings, they began to obey. Coupled with the fact that the guards in Fort Elaine continued to rumor about Bode's adventures from Frost City to Fort Varina, and even exaggerated that he had fought with several cavalry of the Knights, the new guards gradually regarded Bode as their captain under the influence of the young people's worship of war.

The new guards were trained to fight with spears, swords and shields, which were traditional battles for the knights. On the school field, however, Bode was also training them how to use the crossbow.

"You think it is heroic to charge at the enemy's spear array with a spear. However, I think it is also heroic to be able to shoot an enemy who wants to plot the Duke with a crossbow. Bode said loudly, surrounded by a circle of young guards.

Bode stuck the winch in the card slot on the crossbow arm, then turned the handle to slowly put the crossbow string on it. This is an expensive crossbow imported from Polyis, very different from the pedal crossbow that Eastern Vekia crossbowmen liked to use. However, the first class price is the first class. Bode took aim at the wooden target fifteen yards away and pulled the trigger. With a dull sound of crossbow strings, the head of the wooden target was shattered by the huge kinetic energy of the crossbow arrow, which then nailed to the wall behind the target.

Bode asked the guards to get used to the new equipment and walked outside the school yard to rest. He saw Sir Roland, dressed in leather clothes instead of armour, hurrying out.

"Sir Roland!" Bode beckoned.

When Roland saw this, he came over with joy on his face and said, "I am ...... now." Lord Roland!"

'Oh, you're a baron?' asked Bode.

"Yes, the Duke has just given me the title of Baron Wendesh. Baron Roland looked excited, "Now, the Roland family can finally live in their own castle." ”

"Well, it's worth celebrating. ”

"That'...... You're still serving as the duke's bodyguard?" As soon as the words came out, Roland felt that something was wrong. "Oh, sorry......"

"It's okay, the Duke has his own plans. Bode smiled and said, "Of course, it is possible that I am just a ......"

The conversation between the two was interrupted by the loud sound of horses' hooves. A messenger-like rider whipped his horse all the way from the stone pavement by the gate to the inner fort. The guards who were training came over one after another, and even the guards came to join in the fun.

"What's going on? what's wrong?" the people saw the messenger's clothes, embroidered with the coat of arms of the Varina family's red castle. The messenger reined in his horse and cried out, panting:

"The Knights are besieging Fort Varina!" (To be continued......)