The icy rain trickled down on the carports and fell on the fields, and the country roads were muddy and potholed, except for the King's Road.

Under the hazy sky, the procession into the city was stretched out, like a green snake winding forward, moving forward on the flat earth. At the front of the line is Lord Berto. Gray hair had crept up his temples, sword marks and stab wounds covered his cheeks, and the years had left many marks on him, but for the old knight, it was a symbol of his glory.

For many years, the country has not experienced large-scale fighting since the last Mogul invasion. Now, they have finally met another test. The powerful necromancer Heinrich launched an attack on the knight kingdom from the south, and tens of thousands of dead bodies were summoned from the ground and swept through the southern borders of Bretonnia under the leadership of Heinrich. Several towns and villages fell, and the dead were resurrected as part of the undead legion to continue their journey north.

Duke Carcassonne gathered and led his own army to confront the dark forces, but was torn apart by the necromancer Heinrich with his bare hands. It was only then that this dark force attracted the attention of the entire territory of Bretonnia, and King Charles urgently convened a military council. As a lord of one side of the kingdom, Berto got the letter a week ago.

Winter in Bretonnia is not like the northern provinces of the Empire, much less like the northern kingdom of Kislev, where snowflakes are not common, even in the middle of winter. In its place, there were icy winter rains.

It's been a long time since Tallinnham has been here, Cologne, the capital of the Kingdom of Bretonnia.

A few hours later, the majestic walls stood in front of the two men.

The lord Berto made a gesture to stop their advance, and the line slowed down until they formed a straight line. Follow the civilians and caravans into the city. The rain was beating down on people, and you could see the tired and depressed mood on the faces of most people.

Berto drove his horse forward, he didn't want to be affected by the low mood of the people around him, and despite the darkness of the world, as a lord, he had to show a positive and sunny side.

Berto remembered that three years earlier, when Mogul had invaded, almost all the lords and knights of the country had come to Cologne. It was like a grand military parade. Now, the threat is the same, but the knights and lords who come to answer the king's call are somewhat scarce. Or long overdue.

Was it because the necromancers, the undead legions weren't threatening enough, or was it something else? Bertor didn't know, and he didn't want to know. As long as the king has an order, he must be the first to arrive.

......

"Ah, Berto, it's been a long time since I've seen you, three years? three years, the last time I saw you, was after the Mogul invasion?"

In the King's Palace, King Charles warmly received the lord from the south. It should be said that Berto's title is not high, and the territory is not a rich place, but Charles greeted him with the warmest gesture, as if they were old friends who had not seen each other for many years, or better than old friends, more like father and son...... Because Berto once saved the king's life, in the Battle of the Blackwater. Charles will never forget who rushed into the chaos to protect the king in a desperate situation, with a spear and silver sword in hand.

"Yes, Your Majesty. ”

After Berto finished speaking, he bowed his head and saluted.

"Okay, don't bother so much, come, come here, let me see you. The king pressed Berto's shoulders, "You are thin again!" he said.

Berto didn't answer, just smiled, and then turned the conversation back to the right -

"I heard, Heinrich ......"

The king interrupted him.

"It's important, it's important, that's why I'm calling you here. Although the necromancer has not yet been contaminated here, it is no less dangerous than the Mogul invasion. ”

"My king, I saw and heard some on the way over, and it seems that the other lords have not yet arrived?"

Berto answered.

Charles shook his head, and like Berto, exhaustion crept up his forehead, and he returned to his throne like an old lion and sat down—

"They're all here, but they're still on their way. Of course, you're half right, they're slow. Unaware of the threat of the Necromantic Legion this time, three years, just three years of peace have made some people settle for the status quo. Alas......"

The king's sigh was rather sad, but Berto could see that it was not his appeal that made the old king feel really tired and powerless, but his age...... Yes, he is already old, and the prince does not seem to be mature...... He had heard the noise of the outside world, but he was powerless to change anything. Public opinion is a double-edged sword, it can inspire the people, but it can also demagogue.

"Let's not talk about the others, they will all come, if they don't come today, they will come tomorrow, they won't come tomorrow, and they will gather after the last week. ”

"This is Tallinnam, isn't it? if I'm not mistaken. ”

Charles's gaze fell on the young man behind the old lord through Berto. Tallinnham was shocked by this courtesy, he did not expect that the king would remember his name for such a small role.

Somewhat flattered, Tallinnham hurriedly saluted, "Yes, Your Majesty. I'm Tallinnam. He replied.

"Brave squire, the most loyal and brave squire I have ever met. ”

The king praised. Tarinnam, who was so praised, stood still, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"He's a bit like you ......"

The king looked at it for a moment, and said to Berto with a smile.

......

Three days later, the meeting came as scheduled. It's a little late, but as King Charles said, it always comes. Just a little late. Standby station

The great king's hall was still unadorned, except for a long, dense carpet that stretched from the gate to the foot of the king's throne, and almost the entire kingdom was attended by dukes. In front of this group of proud and powerful dukes, Berto can only stand on the periphery, in terms of class, he is only an earl, above him, there are marquises, and then these archdukes...... However, the disparity in status did not make these grand dukes look at the old knight with contempt, on the contrary, everyone knew Berto's exploits in the Battle of the Blackwater River and the defense of the Eternal Forest, and also knew that the king admired and valued him, so the thirteenth duke cast more respectful glances.

And whether it is respectful, disdainful, or contemptuous, Berto does not care, he carries out the king's orders, and responds to the king's call. It is their own obligations and responsibilities that are fulfilled, and other than that, it does not matter.

"We're all here, let's get started. ”

When the last Marquis of the South entered the main hall, King Charles sat on his throne and spoke in a loud voice.

The scene fell silent suddenly, and the crowd turned their attention to the old king. What they saw was that although Charles had gray hair and wrinkles, he was still full of the spirit of a king. Every word he says carries so much weight.

"Here they came, and Breganath was razed to the ground overnight, and the corpses were resurrected, back on their feet, and joined the army of necromancers. Heinrich, the dark necromancer, every time he captured a place, hundreds of people died, and those who died would get back on their feet that day or the next day and become part of the army of the undead. ”

The king gazed at the marble floor in the hall and said—

"You have all heard the news of the defeat of the Duke of Carcassonne, yes, he led the knights and soldiers of the realm against Heinrich's invasion, however, in one day a thousand more soldiers were slaughtered, and Carcassonne himself and his knights were killed and nailed to a stake outside Breganas. ”

"This is a blatant provocation!"

Barstow pinched the Duke and roared angrily.

"So, I'm calling you here to discuss countermeasures and to confront this dark necromancer. Since the founding of Bretonnia, there has never been a moment spent in comfort, not before, and not now. The brave knight is always ready to fight and protect his people. This is our duty, this is our glory!"

King Charles spoke in a loud voice that he was like a lion, proud and unyielding despite his old age. Sunlight poured in through the colorful crystal windows, shining on the throne and also on the aging king.

"I've heard that Heinrich is not an ordinary necromancer, he is unpredictable, elusive, the necromantic legion has a strange marching route, they don't need supplies, they don't need food and water, they can march for a long time, and appear anywhere in Bretonnia. If we concentrate our forces, we may not be able to catch him, and we may lose more ground as a result. Without the protection of knights and lords, the peasants were defenseless. ”

Duke Tancored immediately questioned, and the young lord Quinalis seemed more calm and rational than the other lords. No one taught him this, but it is certain that Tancored, unlike his fathers, was more calm when it came to things, and sometimes, it was unbearable for ordinary people.

"In other words, we need more reinforcements to garrison the entire border, and if there is an enemy situation, we will attack quickly?"

Berto chimed in. No one despised him because he was a minor lord, on the contrary, several archdukes cast concerned glances.

"If we had. ”

Tancored replied.

"The problem is no. ”

Duke Barstow pinched the facts straight to the point.

"What about the wood elves? won't they send troops?"

The hall resounded with a mixture of doubts.

"Don't tell me the elves won't send troops. Our knights went on an expedition to the forest to support the beastmen when the beastmen invaded Etholoren, and now, Bretonnia is in trouble, don't tell me, the wood elves won't help?

Waves of doubts rose and grew, until Tancored stood up and said aloud—

"I asked them for help, but as you said, the elves refused. ”

Call......

As soon as Tancored's words fell, sighs spread throughout the hall, and the lords condemned the indifference and ruthlessness of their forest neighbor.

"Why?"

Until Berto stepped forward and asked a loud question.

"It's winter, and it's the time when the wood elves are at their weakest......"

Tancored replied. His territory borders the Extoloren Forest, home of the Wood Elves, and the Duke of Tancred knows the habits of the Wood Elves.

"Weak? Is that why they avoid war? So, when we're weak, we can shut up, right?"

Barsto yelled at the duke.

"Weakness is only one of them, in fact, the wood elves have not yet recovered from the wounds of the last Mogul invasion, and the forest is still polluted, and it has not been completely eliminated for several years. ”

"In short, it's impossible to count on those elves. ”

There was a hint of sarcasm in the Duke's words. The old king heard that this dissatisfaction had long been rooted in his heart, and it did not happen overnight.