Chapter 92. The Gold Lion Knights
The once-noisy camp of Obsidian Territory had fallen completely silent, leaving only the mournful howl of the wind sweeping across the newly built walls.
The heavy wood-and-iron gates were shut tight, with thick bars driven deep into their stone slots.
On top of the walls, there were twice as many patrolling soldiers as usual.
Archers and crossbowmen hid behind the battlements, their vigilant eyes sweeping over every inch of suspicious movement beyond the mouth of the valley.
A grim, murderous atmosphere, like invisible frost, shrouded the entire valley.
Eli stood on the terrace of the lord’s keep, looking down at the scene below, where everyone stood ready for battle.
He had just ordered another round of voluntary recruitment from among the slaves, selecting a hundred and fifty people to form a logistics corps.
These people had no weapons. Their task was to move rolling logs and stones, boil fire oil, carry the wounded, and ensure that the soldiers on the front line had food.
In the storm that was about to descend, they too would play an important role in holding up the defense line.
The latest news brought back by the raven also eased Eli’s mind somewhat.
Brandon had successfully recruited more than two hundred new soldiers in Lucerne City.
Most of them were farmers with no experience in battle, but at the very least they had filled out the numbers of the city garrison.
Lucerne City had also already entered a state of war preparedness. Its gates were sealed, and watch was being kept day and night.
Just yesterday, another deep-violet beam of light had delivered crucial intelligence.
[Purple: Sabda Medici, a trusted confidant of Count Alders of the Western Frontier, and Commander Caphis of the Skars forces, the three parties,
will secretly meet at midnight three days from now in “Gray Crow Grove,” deep within Nightsong Forest, in the area between Runestone City and Scorpion Gorge,
to finalize their operational plan and the details of the material handover.]
“Gray Crow Grove...” Eli’s finger came down hard on a marked location along the southwestern edge of Nightsong Forest in the atlas.
“A pillow delivered just when I was getting sleepy. Evidence... isn’t it just delivering itself to my doorstep?”
His mind raced, calculating every possibility.
How would he infiltrate the place? How would he confirm it?
How could he obtain ironclad proof without alerting the enemy?
Or should he strike directly and capture them by force?
No. The risk was too great. If it failed, or if one of the enemy’s key figures escaped, the consequences would be unthinkable...
Knock, knock, knock!
A hurried knock at the door broke his train of thought.
“My lord!” The guard outside sounded a little tense.
“There’s a cavalry unit outside the city gates... a lot of them! They’re all wearing... golden armor!
They say they’re from the Gold Lion Knights of the La Roche Family! Their leader requests an audience with you!”
The Gold Lion Knights?!
Eli shot to his feet so quickly that he stirred a gust of wind. “Let’s go!”
He strode down from the keep, crossed the camp steeped in tension, and climbed the wall.
When his gaze passed over the battlements, even though he had been mentally prepared, his breathing still caught for a moment.
Nearly a hundred riders.
Every single one mounted on a tall, powerful warhorse, broad of body and snorting clouds of white vapor.
The knights astride them were covered from head to toe in exquisite plate armor that gleamed with a dark golden luster.
Even the most vital parts of the horses were protected by metal barding.
The Gold Lion Knights—composed of the most outstanding sons of the La Roche Family’s vassals, along with knights of extraordinary talent drawn from among the commoners.
They were the symbol of the La Roche Family’s supreme military might.
They stood there in silence. Aside from the occasional snort of a horse and the faint scrape of armor, there was no sound, yet they were more terrifying than the howls of ten thousand troops.
Eli steadied himself, suppressed the shock in his heart, and called out in a clear voice.
“I am Eli Pendragon, Baron of Lucerne City!
You Gold Lion Knights have come a long way to grace Obsidian Territory with your presence. What business brings you here?”
At the very front of the formation, a knight whose helmet was adorned with a golden lion’s mane crest urged his horse a step forward.
He lifted his visor, revealing the stern, hard-lined face of a middle-aged man whose gaze swept over Eli on the wall.
“Baron Pendragon!” His voice was loud and powerful.
“I am Ron Hohenzollern, captain of the Third Squad of the Gold Lion Knights!
By Governor Lucius’s secret order, we departed the city in secrecy.
We have come to assist Your Excellency in wiping out any remnant federal rebels that may have fled here!”
Hohenzollern? The family of Marquess Marcus? The thought flashed through Eli’s mind.
“Assist in suppressing bandits?” A perfectly measured look of puzzlement appeared on Eli’s face.
“Captain Ron, this is a military matter of great importance. Do you have any official order or written warrant?”
Ron’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. In a deep voice, he said, “My lord baron, since it is a secret order, naturally no public document accompanies us.
This is Governor Lucius’s personal command!”
He swept his gaze over the wall and raised his voice.
“Surely there are soldiers in your territory who come from the Western Frontier?”
The moment his words fell, several excited voices rose from the wall.
“My lord! It’s real! The Golden Lion crest! That armor! They’re definitely the Gold Lion Knights!”
“That’s right, my lord! I saw them from a distance when I was serving in Thorn City! That bearing, that equipment—no one could fake it!”
“My lord! In the Western Frontier, no one dares impersonate the Gold Lion Knights!”
Those who spoke were all veteran soldiers from the Western Frontier among the Black Territory army, and reverence rang clearly in their voices.
Eli did not hesitate any longer and gave the order at once. “Open the gates! Welcome the brave warriors of the Gold Lion Knights into the city!”
With the creaking groan of the winch, the heavy gates slowly opened inward.
The golden tide flowed silently and orderly into Black Territory Valley.
In the open ground before the gate, Eli personally went forward to greet them.
Ron Hohenzollern swung down from his horse in one smooth, steady motion.
The knights behind him also dismounted in perfect unison.
As their heavy armor struck the ground, dull metallic thuds rang out, carrying an astonishing weight of presence.
“Captain Ron, welcome to Obsidian Territory.” Eli stepped forward and extended a hand.
Ron removed his heavy metal gauntlet, revealing a large hand covered in calluses, and gripped Eli’s firmly.
His sharp eyes sized up the white-haired baron before him, a man far too young, as though he wanted to find something hidden behind that calm face.
“Baron Pendragon, I have long heard of you.” Ron’s voice remained steady.
“By the orders of Governor Lucius and Marquess Marcus, the Third Squad stands ready to receive Your Excellency’s command and assist in suppressing the rebels.
However...” His tone shifted, and his gaze turned serious.
“My uncle... Marquess Marcus gave special instructions that our first priority is... verification.”
“Verification?” A look of understanding appeared on Eli’s face, and he turned slightly to gesture inward.
“Captain Ron and all the knights have traveled hard and far. I have already ordered a simple meal prepared.
There is no need to rush verification. Eat first, recover your strength, and then we can speak.”
At the mention of food, Ron and the knights behind him, who had been gnawing on dry rations all the way here, finally showed the faintest trace of relief on their stern faces.
The boy certainly knew how to conduct himself.
“Thank you, my lord baron.” Ron gave a slight nod.
A simple meal was quickly served.
Although it was a time of war preparedness, Eli had still ordered the kitchens to bring out their best stores.
There were even a few casks of not-too-strong ale.
To the Gold Lion Knights, who had lived on dry rations for days, it was nothing short of a feast.
Under the effects of warm food and ale, the atmosphere loosened noticeably.
The knights ate in silence and with great speed, displaying remarkable discipline, but the tension in their nerves had clearly eased a great deal.
After the meal, Ron wasted no time and went straight to the lord’s keep to seek out Eli.
Inside the study, Eli was standing before the large map of the Western Frontier spread open on the wall.
Led in by a guard, Ron entered and looked at Eli’s tall, focused back.
He could not help recalling the private instructions his uncle, Marquess Marcus, had given him before departure:
“...Ron, I chose you especially for this mission. This is your chance!
If Sabda’s collusion with the rebels is proven, and you lead the force to capture or kill the rebels, it will be a great merit.
With the proper work on my end, a baron’s title will be within reach.
And that Eli Pendragon... he is no simple man.
Remember to build a good relationship with that Baron of Lucerne. Sir Lucius... holds him in very high regard.”
Build a good relationship...
Ron looked at the young baron before him, who was likely not even as old as his own years of service, and thoughts turned in his mind.
Eli turned around, a calm smile on his face. “Captain Ron, did you rest well?”
“Very well. Thank you for your hospitality, my lord baron.”
Ron nodded, his gaze settling on the map behind Eli.
“My lord baron was studying the map just now? Have you already formed a plan?”
Eli did not answer directly. He walked over to the map and pressed a finger against a newly marked location.
“Captain Ron, I’ll speak plainly. The evidence you need...”
Eli’s voice was not loud, but it carried an absolute certainty, as hard and sharp as a nailed-down verdict. “It is right here.”
Ron’s gaze instantly sharpened, locking onto that mark.
“Here? Gray Crow Grove? My lord baron, do you mean...?”
“My scouts have just returned with confirmed intelligence.” Eli met Ron’s scrutinizing gaze and spoke in a steady tone.
“At midnight two days from now, three parties will secretly meet there.
They will finalize their joint plan to attack my Obsidian Territory and Lucerne City, and they will hand over part of the supplies.”
The study fell into dead silence.
Ron’s pupils contracted violently. Three leaders. A secret meeting. This was no scattered band of stragglers.
This was a conspiracy meant to throw the entire southwestern Western Frontier into chaos.
If the intelligence was true...
Then this was ironclad evidence.
Enough to nail Sabda Medici to the pillar of shame for treason.
After his shock came confusion.
“Three forces? Marquess Marcus told me there were only two.”
A mysterious smile appeared on Eli’s face. “No, Sir Ron. There are three.”
Then confusion gave way to wild delight. This was simply a heaven-sent opportunity.
An immense achievement, enough to make the name Ron Hohenzollern ring throughout the Western Frontier, had just been delivered straight into his hands.
“Is the intelligence... reliable?”
Ron’s voice was dry with excitement, but he forced himself to remain calm as he fixed his blazing gaze on Eli.
“My Chief Intelligence Administrator personally led the team and confirmed it repeatedly.” Eli’s voice brimmed with confidence.
Ron looked into Eli’s calm, deep blue eyes, then at the glaring mark on the map.
Sir Lucius’s favor. Uncle Marcus’s hint.
And this intelligence before him, enough to change the balance of power in the Western Frontier and enough to change his personal fate as well...
All the clues linked together in an instant. He did not ask to see the scouts.
At this moment, trust was more important than repeated verification.
Ron suddenly straightened his back and slammed his right fist heavily against the golden lion breastplate over his left chest.
There was no longer the slightest trace of hesitation on his face.
“My lord baron! The Third Squad of the Gold Lion Knights, ninety-six riders in total, awaits your command!”