Chapter 619 - 451: New Intelligence and Return to Black Stone Territory
Chapter 619: Chapter 451: New Intelligence and Return to Black Stone Territory
Another Lord, Kadar, also spoke up.
"Your Highness, I have matters in my own territory to attend to. We will take our leave now."
Raylo looked at them and nodded calmly.
"Thank you both for your hard work. We were only able to repel the Snake-men because everyone worked together."
"We understand."
The two bowed, then turned and left the tent.
Soon, only Raylo and Gaius remained in the tent.
Gaius looked at the military map on the table, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Your Highness, now that the armies of the Northern Territory have all withdrawn, shouldn’t we be returning to Thunder Dragon City?" he said.
"As the Crown Prince Regent, being away from the Royal Capital for too long might attract unnecessary criticism."
Raylo did not answer immediately.
He walked to the map and placed his finger on the deep green area of the Jade Swamp.
"Uncle Gaius, do you think the war is truly over?"
Gaius followed his finger with his eyes, his expression also growing serious.
"This Six-armed Snake Demon’s promotion was no accident. It must have been a scheme by that Nine-headed Demon Serpent deep within the swamp. We’ve ruined its plans, and I fear the Jade Swamp’s retaliation is already being prepared..." Raylo said.
"The Black Stone Territory is the first line of defense. I can’t leave at a time like this."
He turned and looked directly into Gaius’s eyes.
"Therefore, Uncle Gaius, I need you and the Thunder Dragon Knight Order to stay behind."
Gaius was stunned.
The Thunder Dragon Knight Order was the Duke’s personal knight order.
Leaving it in the territory of a border lord was against regulations.
"Your Highness, this..."
Gaius looked troubled.
"This is against military law. Without the Duke’s direct order, I cannot station the Thunder Dragon Knight Order in any lord’s territory on my own authority."
"Am I not currently acting with the Duke’s authority?"
Raylo’s tone was calm.
Gaius fell silent.
He looked at Raylo’s young face, recalling the figure on the battlefield charging into the fray on a Thunder Dragon, and remembering those two terrifying Catastrophe Level beings.
After a long moment, he slammed a fist against his chest plate, which rang out with a dull CLANG.
"The Thunder Dragon Knight Order awaits your command!"
A faint smile finally appeared on Raylo’s face.
"Thank you, Uncle Gaius."
Outside the camp, the crowds gradually dispersed, and the clamor slowly died down.
Raylo and Gaius stood shoulder to shoulder on a high slope, watching the banner of a lord’s army disappear over the distant horizon.
The evening breeze blew past, carrying a hint of a chill.
Gaius looked at the young man beside him and suddenly asked in a very low voice.
"Your Highness, are you staying in the Black Stone Territory *really* just to guard against that Demon Serpent?"
The wind rustled Raylo’s black hair. He didn’t answer the question directly.
In the distance, at a fork in the road, under the banner of the Red Leaf Territory.
His younger brother, Arthur, was standing with the young lady known as the "Northern Rose," Benasi.
The two stood very close, seemingly with endless things to say to each other. Arthur’s face held the bashfulness and reluctance to part unique to a young man.
Benasi was dressed in form-fitting soft armor that outlined her fine figure. She would occasionally look up to say something to Arthur, then lower her head again, fiddling with the reins of the unicorn beside her.
Gaius followed Raylo’s gaze, and the stern lines on his face softened a little.
"Prince Arthur and Lady Benasi are quite a match made in heaven," Gaius said.
Raylo hummed in agreement.
He recalled that ever since he had sent Avril to the Observatory to study Magic with the Legendary Mage, Master "Star," he had been so caught up in trivial matters that he hadn’t seen her in a long time.
He wondered if her Magic studies with the Legendary Mage "Star" were going smoothly.
...
「The next morning.」
Raylo awoke in his tent. Moonlight was curled up asleep on the rug.
Lightning was sprawled out on the other side, sleeping with all four limbs splayed.
After washing up briefly, he sank his consciousness into his mind.
The familiar system interface unfolded, and lines of intelligence refreshed like a flowing stream.
[Daily Intelligence Refresh]
[1: The Light Holy See has dispatched multiple Hunting Teams to the Northern Territory to capture stray or solitary Giant Dragons. The Light Holy See’s intention is to capture live Giant Dragons to test an Alchemy Potion called "Dragon Plague Potion."]
[2: A Holy See fleet carrying a Hunting Team is heading towards Storm Cape. The Hunting Team is led by a Tier Six Holy Knight and a Six-winged Angel of Death. Their target is the Flowing Wind Giant Dragon. The fleet is expected to arrive at Storm Cape in five weeks.]
[3: In the Thunder Dragon Duchy, several nobles have pledged their allegiance to the Blood Rose Prince at his banquet and have completed the Initial Embrace Ceremony. These nobles include Raymond, Count Iron Pine; Noel, Red Hill Manor Viscount; and Erich, Baron Qingquan...]
[4: A large Mercenary Corps called "Warrior’s Fury" was completely annihilated while carrying out a mission to clear out an Abyssal Sect stronghold. The reason was that a Domain Level Peak Abyssal Bishop happened to be passing by the stronghold. This Abyssal Bishop’s destination is Thunder Dragon City, and his goal is to rescue a companion imprisoned deep within the dungeons of Thunder Dragon City.]
[5: Three thousand kilometers north of the Black Stone Territory, in the "Frost Nest" of the Extreme North Ice Field, an ancient, Catastrophe Level Frost Giant Dragon is nearing the end of its life. Following Giant Dragon tradition, it will summon all of its descendants for a final inheritance ceremony in three months. The victor will inherit everything it possesses, including the Dragon Crystal known as the "Frost Heart."]
[6: The Red River Commerce Association, which once controlled the main transport business on the "Golden Waterway" between the northern and central parts of the Continent, has been raided and shut down by the Light Holy See. The association’s president and key members have been arrested and imprisoned, while its vast enterprise is being carved up by various powers. The Light Holy See shut down the Red River Commerce Association because the association worked closely with the Dragon Realm, serving as the main bridge for communication and trade between the Dragon Realm in the north and the central regions of the Continent.]
[7: In the Western Territory of the Duchy, Bella, the Countess of Liuhuo City, failed to repair her family’s heirloom Treasure, the "Tears of the Phoenix" Talisman. The reason for the failure is that the Talisman has been used once before, and the Phoenix blood contained within has been depleted. It requires a new infusion of Phoenix blood to restore its legendary power of resurrection.]
[8: In three days, the expeditionary force of the Light Holy See will encounter the Allied Army of the Dragon Realm. Their meeting point is a massive river that cuts across the western part of the Continent, known as the Yellow Mud River.]
[9: The war game between the Witch Demon King of Skeleton Plain and the Vampire Prince of the Crimson Bloodline has concluded. The Vampire Prince of the Crimson Bloodline has gained ownership of the "Tomb of the Traitor."]
[10: At the border between the Black Stone Territory and the Black Stone Mountain Range, a massive spatial rift will briefly appear in three days. An injured Cloud Sea Giant Whale, fleeing from a natural predator, will enter the rift and arrive in this world. The Cloud Sea Giant Whale lives in a world called the Cloud Sea Realm, which has no land or oceans and is composed of a boundless Cloud Sea. The Cloud Sea Giant Whale is a Tier Five Magical Beast and an excellent transport beast, its broad back capable of carrying hundreds of Giants.]
Raylo stepped out of the tent.
The morning camp was already awake. Knights were packing their gear, preparing for a new day of patrols and training.
When Ed saw Raylo emerge, he immediately came forward to greet him.
"My lord, breakfast is ready."
Raylo waved his hand, his gaze sweeping past the bustling camp to a tree not far away that had been carefully transplanted.
It was a Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree. It had once grown at the entrance of Black Stone Castle, and now, with the construction of Black Stone City, it had been brought here as well.
Beneath the tree, a massive Storm Griffin King lay prostrate on the ground, its brownish-yellow Iron Feathers looking somewhat dull in the morning light.
"Baofeng... is he still not eating much?" Raylo asked.
Ed followed his gaze, a hint of helplessness on his face.
"Yes, my lord. It just sniffs the food we bring every day and doesn’t take a single bite. It’s been like this for some time now."
Raylo nodded and strode in that direction.