After the Battle of the Titan's Gate, the expeditionary army remained at the Streampost for some much-needed rest. Ryan had initially planned to wait for Gotrek and Felix to return, but scouts later reported that the two had instead headed toward Dragon Cliff Fortress. They wreaked havoc there, killing many greenskins, looted the entire fortress, and then vanished without a trace.
"Gotrek and Felix are not the kind of people who will be bound by an army," commented the white dwarf. "They yearn for freedom and the glory of dying in battle... although it's a bit foolish. But we must respect Gotrek's choice, and his oath-bonded companion as well."
As for how François managed to hire these legendary figures, he just smiled and shook his head. "It wasn't me who hired them."
"Then who did?" Ryan asked, intrigued.
"Marienburg," François replied, stroking his goatee. "It was a wealthy merchant from Marienburg who hired them. He paid their entire fee and even threw in extra travel expenses, sending them on a fast ship to Sea Gate."
"A Marienburg merchant?!" Ryan was shocked. "Was it Schultz?"
"No, it was Viscount Casanova of the Gentlemen's League. Haven't you met him before?" François looked at Ryan curiously. "I thought you two were friends."
"I only know him..." Ryan now understood. "Well, I didn't expect that. Casanova really has that kind of power."
For an ordinary merchant, just knowing Gotrek and Felix would be impressive enough. But Casanova not only found them but paid for their services, which revealed the vast network of connections this Marienburg merchant must possess.
This wasn't just a gesture of goodwill—it was something much deeper. Ryan stroked his chin, lost in thought.
Things were becoming more and more interesting.
After this brief conversation, the memorial service for Grail Knight Anthelm was held at the Streampost. The fallen knight lay with his sword in hand upon a stone coffin, and Ryan himself read the eulogy. The gathering observed a moment of silence before watching as the knight's body turned to ashes in the flames. His soul would not rest but would go on to fight in the Lady of the Lake's divine realm.
As for the title of Count of Cuileux, it would pass to Anthelm's eldest son. However, since the son was not part of the expeditionary army, the matter would be put on hold until the army returned to Bretonnia.
"So many have sacrificed," Ryan said to Calard after the service. "How do people cope with such hatred?"
"To die on the battlefield, wrapped in a shroud of leather—that is a knight's fate," Calard replied, his expression somewhat sorrowful. "As long as it's for the defense of the kingdom and the destruction of evil, we must be willing to pay the price. The cost may be great, but we do it without regret. The Lady has blessed us with the Grail, and we are destined to give our lives for her."
Ryan smiled at Calard's words, then sighed and shook his head.
This was why Bretonnia had endured for so long. The constant external pressure forced the knightly nobility to maintain a strong sense of martial honor and duty, preventing the downfall of their nation. At the same time, they made concessions to the peasantry, and the peasants, knowing they couldn't survive the Chaos and greenskin hordes without the knights, were willing to tolerate certain hardships. It was a dynamic balance.
This was why, even though many peasants often went hungry, revolts were rare. They endured, understanding that without the knights, they would face extermination. When Ryan initiated reforms to ask the nobles to share some of their wealth, so the peasants could at least have enough to eat, the more enlightened nobles accepted the changes without much fuss.
After all, Chaos and the greenskins didn't take prisoners—they only sought to destroy everything. This wasn't about changing rulers; it was about survival or extinction.
Perhaps this was what it meant to endure for the sake of the nation, Ryan mused with a self-deprecating smile. If this were his previous world, without the threat of foreign enemies, the knightly nobility would surely be cast as the villains.
But in this dark world, this system was what had kept the kingdom alive.
It was ironic, but also practical.
Were the peasants really so destitute that they had no choice? Not exactly. Before becoming king, Ryan had traveled extensively and found that, after his reforms, most peasants had benefited. Many of the working peasants had enough money to spend a few copper coins at the tavern after work, while those who farmed could earn between 3 and 5 gold crowns annually (before taxes). With this income, a peasant could save up for five to ten years and buy their freedom.
This was how Ryan had opened a path for social mobility. Now it was up to the peasants themselves to take it.
After these thoughts and the memorial service, Ryan kept things simple due to the ongoing conflict. He made a few arrangements and returned to his quarters. The stone building had been repaired by the dwarves to ensure it was no longer leaky. Veronica and Olica lived there with him.
The king changed back into his formal attire, draped with a white cloak bearing the gold chalice emblem. After the battle at the Titan's Gate, snow had begun to fall again. Ryan inspected the camp, where many of the peasant soldiers huddled together around fires for warmth. He had tried to ensure as many as possible were housed, but the Streampost was just a small outpost with limited buildings. Some of the peasant infantry had to make do with tents.
On his way back, Ryan visited the camp of the Ungol horse archers. In the Titan's Gate battle, the Ungols had gotten overzealous and were ambushed by Skarsnik's concentrated forces, suffering heavy losses. Their commander, General Ivan, had fallen, and the surviving 200 horse archers had elected a new leader. His name was Belia, the son of poor Ungol nomads who herded in the Troll Country. However, in his youth, Belia had apprenticed as an engineer with the Plague Architects Guild, giving him a refined appearance by Kislevite standards.
After earning his engineer's certification, Belia joined the military and served as a squire under Felix Edmondovich, a famous winged hussar general. Later, he returned to the Ungols and became a captain of a horse archer squad, eventually being sent to Bretonnia as a mercenary.
Belia was brave in battle. After General Ivan's death, he had immediately sounded the horn to rally the nearly broken horse archers. He even managed to shoot Skarsnik in the shoulder, saving the horse archers from total annihilation and holding out until Ryan's arrival.
"Hmm, Belia... quite the name," Ryan remarked with a meaningful smile, patting the thirty-something horse archer on the shoulder. He appointed Belia as the new commander in Ivan's place and promised to notify Queen Katarin to promote him to at least the rank of major.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Belia knelt before Ryan, swearing loyalty. "I am your bow and arrow, Your Majesty." Ryan accepted his oath and granted him a new surname—Gulag.
What an honor! Belia knelt again. As a nomadic herder, he had no surname. Now that Ryan had bestowed one upon him, it meant that when he returned to Kislev, he could proudly declare himself part of the nobility.
From that moment on, Belia was already planning how he might betray the Ice Queen to secure a higher position under Ryan's command.
Next, Ryan checked on the independent Bretonnian regiment left behind by Blackheart Rep. In this battle, Ryan hadn't assigned them to the frontlines, wanting to leave Durant with some resources for the future. Durant had successfully fulfilled his duties.
The trees were now covered with a white veil, the ground blanketed in thick snow. The mountains had become a world of icy beauty. As Ryan stepped through the soft snow, he heard the crisp crunch beneath his feet and closed his eyes, enjoying the brief moment of peace.
After finishing his inspection, Ryan returned to his quarters through the heavy snow. Inside, the fire was burning warmly. Olica, her face pale, was sitting by the hearth, cooking a delicious stew that bubbled invitingly. Veronica, having just finished her bath, was dressed in her favorite High Elf silk dress, wrapped in a white fur coat, and snuggled into a blanket, sipping hot coffee. She looked quite relaxed. When she saw Ryan come in, covered in snow, she felt a pang of sympathy and waved him over. "Dear, are you tired? Come, come."
"I'm fine. You and Olica are the ones working hard," Ryan replied as he sat at the bedside, pulling Olica into his arms. "Olica, how's your magic reserve?"
"Not great, Master," the dark elf blushed as she leaned against Ryan, breathing in his scent. "Dinner is ready. We're just waiting for your Lady to return."
"Where is the Lady, by the way?" Ryan finally noticed that the Lady of the Lake was not around.
"She went to the Wood Elf camp," Veronica replied lazily, stretching out a black-stockinged foot from beneath the blanket and playfully nudging Ryan. "By the way, Ryan, are you really planning for us to infiltrate the enemy's stronghold to take on Queek Headtaker?"
"I…" Ryan began to speak, but just then, the Lady of the Lake appeared, holding her
grail. Seeing this, Ryan lightly pinched Veronica's foot, enjoying the silky texture of her stockings. "Let's eat first, then we can discuss it."
Fifteen minutes later, Ryan, the Lady of the Lake, Veronica, and Olica sat on the ground around the fire, with a layer of animal hides underneath them and a soft wool carpet on top. The Lady of the Lake sat beside Ryan, sipping some Wood Elf fruit wine while watching the others eat.
"So, you're planning to infiltrate the depths of Eight Peaks Mountain to eliminate Queek Headtaker?" the Lady of the Lake asked after hearing Ryan's full plan. "Who's going?"
"Myself, King Bellegar, Olica, Veronica, and Araloth," Ryan replied, nodding seriously. "I've thought it over carefully. This is the most suitable and effective approach. After this battle, the army needs time to recover, but we must eliminate Queek and Skarsnik. Otherwise, even if we take Eight Peaks Mountain, Bellegar and his people won't have peace. With the defenses at their weakest, the five of us should have no trouble causing havoc inside."
Olica served Ryan more stew, while Veronica, wrapped in her coat and blanket, raised a question. "Why go after Queek? Wouldn't it be better to target Skarsnik? He's wounded, and his army is badly depleted."
"Bellegar understands Skarsnik. After suffering such defeats, Skarsnik has lost his nerve. He won't dare to attack us again. His only thought now is to fortify his position, or flee if necessary," Ryan explained. "If we target Skarsnik, we'll achieve nothing. But Queek is different. Bellegar knows him well. Queek won't retreat like other Skaven. Instead, he'll try to find a way to turn the tables. Bellegar is certain Queek will attempt a large-scale Skaven ritual to empower the Supreme Verminlord, allowing it to remain in the mortal realm for an extended time. We must stop Queek from completing this ritual and kill them both!"
"I see," the Lady of the Lake nodded thoughtfully, a satisfied smile finally appearing on her beautiful face. "Very well. Go ahead with your plan. Also, you must destroy that great bell. It's the Doomsday Bell, a Skaven artifact of the Great Horned Rat. Give me some time, and I will craft a few enchanted amulets for you. With them, you'll be able to resist the bell's toll."
"Good!" Ryan nodded eagerly, glad to have the Lady of the Lake's full support.
"Rest for three days. After that, I'll use my teleportation magic to send the five of you directly into one of the collapsed underground passages," Ryan concluded.
After dinner, the Lady of the Lake immediately began preparing the materials to make the amulets. The Garland Witch, already sleepy, went to her room to rest. Olica, full of anticipation, eyed Ryan and made it clear she was eager for some alone time, while also glaring impatiently at the Lady of the Lake, as if to say, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
"Ryan, your beard's grown out again," the Lady of the Lake pinched Ryan's cheek. "Go shave it off! I've been running around for you all day, and you don't even show me a little appreciation?"
"Alright, alright."
And so, once again, Ryan's newly grown beard was shaved clean.
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