The next day, the hall of Fort Shield Castle.

"That's the whole thing, Countess, Charles just wants you to agree with him using the surname Fletcher."

Leon took Charles to run as fast as he could, and rushed to Fort Brave.

The Countess was a rather kind old woman with a very ordinary appearance.

Probably accustomed to seeing life and death at the border, the countess did not grieve too much when she learned the bad news.

In fact, she behaves a lot like Hereward - her expression is well controlled, but she chokes up as soon as she speaks.

This is probably a common problem of high-ranking nobles in this era, who are accustomed to hiding their emotions and do not want all their feelings to be seen by anyone.

The Countess did not show much disgust at the existence of the bastard, and she even took a closer look at Charles, and calmly handed Charles a glass of water.

"So, Charles, can you give me a proof? Prove that you are Oden's child. ”

After calming down, the Countess asked Charles calmly.

"I'm going to take revenge on Eldred! Therefore I need my father's surname, otherwise I cannot provoke a public duel, ma'am. I think this proof should be enough. ”

Charles knelt down on one knee before the Countess and looked up at the Countess, his eyes bloodshot but quite determined.

Revenge by blood in the name of his son and provoking a duel may be the only way to avenge Count Auden at the moment.

In Pande, including medieval Europe, the duel for revenge of blood relatives was sure to be supported by the vast majority of nobles, and revenge for one's father was exonerating.

Once the enemy has been identified and is eligible to start a duel, the challenged side must fight. Of course, the high-ranking nobles can make their Knights of Oath fight.

But as long as the enemy is not dead, the challenge can continue until one of them dies!

Even if the king kills someone, he can take revenge on the king - but the chances of winning are slim, and the king's knights are very ......

In fact, this is an important reason why nobles do not kill people easily, even if the two countries are at war, as long as the defeated side does not die, the nobles who lead the army are rarely killed.

Of course, this is different from the Celestial Empire, which has been a unified politics since the Han Dynasty.

The logic of blood revenge will not be produced in a unified country, because the emperor ordered the killing of the most condemned prisoners, and if he was not guilty of avenging his father, then the emperor would be very dangerous......

But in the principality of Europe, the king and the nobility are essentially the same, and the core idea of this 'chivalry' is to prevent people from killing the nobility easily, and to consolidate the rule of the class.

Charles wants to publicly avenge his father in the name of Oden's son, so he needs Oden's surname, as well as knighthood and above.

Only the nobles can launch a duel against the nobles.

At the same time, it also proves that he is indeed the son of Auden—otherwise who would have done that, and would have to play with his life without inheritance.

The Countess nodded: "Yes, child, I promise you." You can use Oden's flag and surname and hope you come back alive......"

After saying this, she still didn't have any expression, but the first tears finally flowed from her eyes.

The old woman did not embarrass Charles, she may have been more generous than Auden had imagined - mainly because Auden was no longer there, of course.

A countess will naturally not be stupid enough to be unrelenting in such a situation.

In fact, this countess is probably quite smart, and she is probably like Hereward, and she is the first to notice the existence of Charles Fletcher and can actually protect her daughter.

"Lord Leon, then why are you here? Is it just to help his knights get their surnames back? ”

After the countess calmed down for a while, she asked about Leon.

"I'm here for my own safety. I have enemies in common with Charles, and I have more enemies than he has...... When Count Auden was alive, he promised to help me keep an eye on Archduke Alma, but now ......"

Leon was honest enough to deceive a lonely old man.

"But I'm just an old woman, and I can't help you deal with a duke......"

The Countess shook her head slowly.

"Then I'll be straight ahead, I'm going to buy the jurisdiction of Ralph's knightly realm. I know that the Earl's realm is managed by you. ”

Li Ang pointed to the west of the Shield Fortress.

The Lord's intentions were clear - he wanted Ralph and his Rangers to completely free Shield Shield from the jurisdiction of Fort Brave and accept his own patronage.

Leon was too familiar with the camp, where it was impossible to feed the army.

Although the Horn Summoning Ranger has its own system, their own cost is also supported by nearby towns.

Ralph was able to garrison there with the support of Count Auden's Shield Fortress.

And now, with Auden gone, the Countess is afraid that she will leave the Shield Castle in the hands of someone else, such as her son-in-law, Lehman.

However, it is obviously impossible for the Horn Summoning Ranger Regiment to accept the management of the deputy head of the Lion Knights, so the Rangers may have to return to Changhe Town and station.

That would basically be the equivalent of giving Alma a strong army - it is impossible for someone like Alma to not be able to control the Rangers in this situation.

Therefore, Leon wants to buy the jurisdiction of that territory and turn himself into the superior administrator of that knight territory, so that the rangers are willing to serve him.

Of course, the main reason for this deal was that Count Auden was dead, and Ralph had no one to whom he was loyal.

That piece of land was originally sold by Leon himself...... But now, instead of an empty territory, he wanted to buy a Ranger station.

Baron Hereward's sentinels were originally stationed in Long River Town, and taking advantage of the opportunity of Hereward to bring them to Fort White Hart, Leon also planned to keep the sentinels in Fort White Hart for a long time.

Only by keeping the strong army of the Horn Summoning Ranger Regiment can he ensure his own safety.

And the best chance to keep this force is to avenge the Earl of Auden, the leader of the Horn Summoning Rangers.

"Your Excellency Leon, I promise you that the land that you once fought down is what I know. But I also want you to promise me one thing......"

The Countess sighed, she could call the shots, but she also made another request.

"I want you to guarantee that the murderer of Oden will die! Whoever he is! Auden said that you are the only master he has ever seen in his life, and I know you can do it! ”

The countess finally couldn't control her sad expression, and a line of tears flowed from the countess's eyes,

She's nowhere near as calm as she seems.

"Promise me! Don't have any secret power dealings, I just want the murderer to die in front of me! If you can do it, I can give you that territory...... I'm even willing to give it to you along with Fort Shield! ”

Leon closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, his throat a little dry.

"Madam, I promise you, but the murderer's life is not that valuable...... If I did, you could give me the village of Fletcher. ”

This is not the magnanimity of the lord, "even willing" and "willing", this is a big difference......

On the contrary, as long as you take the initiative to have a village, you may really have hope.

……

Charles will set off with the Countess for the Lion City.

And the lord returned to Mai Xiangling alone.

As soon as he returned to Mai Xiangling, he received good news - the Eastern Front troops of the Bacchus Empire attacking White Deer Fort had officially withdrawn.

This may be the only good news in the first half of the new year.

After the Sentinels arrived at Fort White Deer in Long River, General Agathon retreated with the troops of the Bacchus Empire.

Ralph's rangers watched all the way to make sure that the enemy had withdrawn two hundred miles away—a complete retreat indeed.

It was Amy herself who brought the news.

After confirming that the enemy had retreated, she had originally come to the lord to 'study'.

Lehman and Ralph escorted her along.

Charles's identity had been confirmed, and now there was no need to hide it from anyone, and Leon told them of the death of Count Auden.

But when they understood the situation, they immediately disagreed.

"I need to go to Fort Shield...... Baron Leon, take his leave. ”

Lehman thought about it for a while, and with some hesitation to leave.

"Lehman, stop! You are the son-in-law of Count Auden, and you are obliged to avenge him! The place you should go is the Seven Forks Fortress! ”

Ralph was extremely unhappy with Lehman's reaction - there was not a trace of sadness on Lehman's face.

Leon also frowned, Lehman's performance was indeed sorry for Count Auden's consideration for his future before, and Auden was even reluctant to clash with Alma head-on.

"Lord Ralph, of course I know revenge! But now the question is, the Earl has died, what will be the reaction of the Cato people when they learn of this news? ”

Lehman's brow furrowed, it seemed that he was more interested in the safety of Shield Fortress...... Or rather, the army of Fort Brave.

But Lehman was right.

The death of Count Auden will bring a long chain reaction.

When Auden was still alive, the Gatu did not dare to fight the idea of Shield Fort at all, but now that Auden is dead, who will guard the border?

"The Gatu who went to Teniang...... You're ......"

Ralph visibly angry, his face flushed.

"Ralph! You're going to take over the defense of Fort Shield...... This is also what you should do, and it is your duty to protect Changhe Town! ”

Leon interrupted Ralph's words and simply began to arrange.

"Lehman, you have to go back to Lion City immediately, you have to preside over your father-in-law's funeral early."

"As for the Seven Forks Fortress, I'll go there and have your lion knight go with me, so you can know all the results as well."

Although these two people were not his subordinates at all, Li Ang's arrangement was obviously reasonable, and the two no longer argued, and each led the team away.

After they had gone far, Leon began to arrange his men.

"Anson, come to Silk, you are in charge of staying in the territory, and if the crossbowmen or merchants come back, pay the price agreed before."

"Sarah, go and ask Governor Justes to write a letter...... Let him copy as I have written, not a single word of which he is allowed to change, and send it to Baron Hurward. ”

Leon gave Sarah a piece of parchment.

"Well......" Sarah glanced at the contents of the paper, "My lord, if he doesn't write......"

"Don't write? Castrate him if you don't write! ”

Leon hands Sarah a crooked knife, the same one he used to kidnap Justus.

Sarah nodded and went.

"Amy, you go to the Seven Forks Fortress with me, and your brother's trouble is estimated to depend on you to solve it."

Leon ...... Teacher, my brother shouldn't be in any big trouble, and my mother will definitely be able to keep him. ”

Amy didn't look nervous, and seemed confident that Lord Andrew would be safe.