The mystical power of the Old Ones' sanctuary truly worked wonders. As soon as the Enterprise and the Landuin left Ulthuan's waters, escorted by the High Elf fleet, the weather abruptly turned frigid.
The Enterprise's king suite had been completely redecorated by the Lady of the Lake. She transformed the dwarven minimalist and practical interior into a lavishly ornate space in classic High Elven style, with intricate designs and embellishments, then claimed the suite for herself.
Ryan hadn't stopped her and Sulia's design plans, considering it an unimportant matter.
With little else to do, the Knight King took a nap after lunch, sleeping soundly from one in the afternoon until four.
He only woke up when he heard Sulia and the Lady of the Lake conversing in the suite's sitting area. He reluctantly dragged himself out of bed, feeling the cold, bone-chilling air above the sea. Although the room was naturally warmer, it was still quite chilly, and even someone like Ryan, immune to cold, was tempted to stay snuggled in the warm blankets a bit longer.
Moreover, the king was feeling a bit worn out lately.
Enjoying his idleness, Ryan lay sprawled on the soft bed in a "大" shape, considering his next moves.
His plan was clear: continue to gather strength, deepen reforms, promote industrial transformation, and establish a comprehensive industrial zone centered on Mousilon. This would build a robust industrial system and ensure stable societal development.
In short: build high walls, stockpile grain, and train elite troops.
Ryan planned to promote reliable individuals from the serf class to freemen, strengthening the freemen, yeomen, workers, small merchants, and low-ranking officials. The entire freemen class of Brittany now recognized only Ryan as their king.
The king planned to recruit elites from the freemen class to form a new army, while continuing to reform and carefully select knights, even suppressing certain noble privileges. High-ranking nobles would have to relinquish some wealth, and less competent lower-ranking nobles could be sent to Arabia to join a holy war; he'd see how many reliable knights returned from that mission.
The life of a Knight King was often simple yet demanding.
While the northern knights, led by Raun, had barely recovered from a series of wars, Ryan now found himself wrestling with the interests of southern knights, led by François, Bohemond, and Bodrick.
These southern nobles were Ryan's staunchest supporters. In fact, they could be considered Ryan's base, especially François, who had married off his daughter to Ryan and supported him at every turn. The Duchy of Winfort had reaped the benefits, becoming the most prosperous and powerful duchy in Brittany.
However, they had now become the vested interest group. Ryan thought to himself that it all depended on whether François and his group were willing to play along. If they didn't cooperate, they might face consequences in the future.
A mischievous smile appeared on the Knight King's face. He hugged a pillow, rolling over in bed and holding the blanket tightly between his legs. But then he thought they'd likely stay in line.
Bohemond, while lacking administrative ability, understood his own limits. Since Ryan's rise, the old Duke of Red Dragon, a semi-divine Saint Knight, had steadfastly stood by Ryan and the Lady of the Lake. He had nothing to worry about there.
As for Duke Bodrick, his son, Baron Fedmond, had become intricately involved in sea trade with Ryan. It would be foolish for them to jeopardize their lucrative maritime profits and shipyard contracts.
That left François.
After considering it, Ryan figured François wouldn't openly oppose him. At most, he'd negotiate for certain concessions.
In this world, things were different. First, Ryan's personal strength was immense. Second, he had the unconditional support of the Lady of the Lake and the Fay Enchantress. Lastly, François, cunning as he was, understood the importance of loyalty; when Kemmler invaded Brittany, it was François who defended the abbey at La Maisontaal, proving his mettle.
After thinking everything through, Ryan finally decided to get up.
"Ryan, you're awake?" In the king suite, Sulia and the Lady of the Lake sat chatting on the couch. Sulia wore a tailored blouse with a cross-patterned white collar, paired with a mauve pencil skirt. Under the skirt, her long legs were clad in thick gray unicorn fleece stockings.
The Lady of the Lake wore a white Asur rabbit fur sweater and a purple mini-skirt, her once moon-white hair now dyed golden. Beneath her skirt were the same gray unicorn fleece stockings as Sulia's.
The stockings had a slight sheen, with a faint, almost magical glow reflecting off them.
Seeing Ryan, the Lady of the Lake blushed, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it around herself, hiding behind Sulia. She greeted Ryan in a soft voice, "Good afternoon, Ryan."
"Is something going on?" Ryan wondered at her behavior; ever since their wedding, she seemed unable to meet his eyes. The moment he sat on the couch, the Lady shifted around, hiding behind Sulia under her blanket like a shy child, avoiding eye contact.
"If there were something, I would have woken you." Sulia couldn't help but laugh, seeing the Lady's shy behavior. She patted the seat next to her, motioning for Ryan to come closer.
When Ryan sat down, Sulia pulled the Lady from behind her and pushed her into Ryan's arms. The Lady buried her head in his chest in embarrassment. "Sulia, please… don't."
With the warm and soft presence of the goddess in his arms, Ryan couldn't resist teasing her. His hand slid over her silk-clad legs, playing with her stockinged feet. Her small, delicate feet were adorned with pink nail polish, each toe a tiny, alabaster masterpiece, with the gray fabric of the stockings adding a hint of mystery. Ryan felt at ease as he asked Sulia, "Did you finish tallying the High Elf gifts?"
"Yes. The total value of the Phoenix Court's gifts is about 300,000 gold crowns. With the 10,000 gold dragon coins, it's roughly 550,000 crowns in total." Sulia nodded with a bright smile, producing a ledger. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "This time, we really struck it rich."
"Elves certainly are wealthy." Ryan looked down at the goddess resting in his arms, clearly impressed.
"They're… also yours if you need them," the Lady murmured, hiding her face in his chest.
Ryan laughed, kissing her forehead. Flustered, she punched him lightly in the chest with her small fist, then buried her face in his shoulder. "Don't tease me in front of Sulia!"
"The Tide of Destruction is still some time away. We'll need to return and deepen reforms, as well as strengthen the military." Ignoring the goddess's complaint, Ryan looked at Sulia. "I wonder how things went with all the arrangements we left behind."
"Raun and Morgiana will manage everything well," Sulia reassured him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Father and the others will also continue to support you."
"I… I will support you as well," the Lady of the Lake added quietly.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Olica entered, pushing a cart laden with fresh vegetables, seafood, and meat. The dark elf looked somewhat displeased. "Master, you need to do something about your Old Guard and those dwarves."
"What's wrong, Olica?" Ryan asked curiously, as she usually didn't comment on such matters.
"Bellegar raised a fine son, that's for sure." Olica sighed and explained.
In short, young Solgrim Ironhammer and his dwarven companions had managed to procure a stash of High Elf "art books" and "artistic illustrations" during their time in Ulthuan. These collections, featuring female elves, were highly detailed, crafted by masters of the art form, with much fewer restrictions than in the Old World.
Now, these little dwarves had taken up "business" and were selling the art books secretly across the Enterprise.
What amused Olica was that many knights and Old Guard soldiers had eagerly purchased them and could now be found in small groups, poring over the illustrations, exclaiming in wonder—until she happened to pass by and notice.
"…" Ryan was at a loss for words.
"A little regulation wouldn't hurt," Sulia quickly suggested. "Perhaps we shouldn't ban these things outright, but we could confiscate them if displayed openly?"
"The main issue is that there's almost no private space on the ship," Ryan admitted, shaking his head. "This expedition has been a strain on everyone."
Since Ryan agreed with her, Sulia nodded, "Then, why don't you inspect the ship? It wouldn't be appropriate for us."
"Alright," Ryan agreed.
After dinner, Ryan made his rounds, instructing the soldiers to be more discreet, enjoying the art books privately if they must but refraining from gathering in groups to view them.
Once finished, he returned to his suite.
There, Sulia, the Lady of the Lake, and Olica awaited him, all dressed up in special attire. Sulia greeted him with a soft smile, her blue eyes filled with meaning, while Olica's gaze was playful, licking her lips.
The Lady of the Lake had wrapped herself in a blanket, with only her green eyes visible, watching Ryan with a mix of shyness and anticipation.
Ryan felt himself weaken slightly. He considered retreating.
Olica waved her hand, and the bedroom door closed on its own.
"Ryan, don't even think about escaping!" Sulia laughed, motioning for him to come
over. "Remember, you're still on a honeymoon with the Lady!"
Ryan sighed in resignation. It seemed there'd be no escape from this evening's mischief.
Well, it would be two months before they returned to Brittany. As the Knight King and a Primarch, he refused to give in!
---
Meanwhile, in the Bretonnian capital of Couronne…
The Duke of Connétable, Raun Leorcaval, whom Ryan had appointed Regent, sat in the royal palace, handling affairs of state.
Once a spirited rival for the throne, Raun was now a more measured and grounded man. The rebellion of Mallobaude had been a heavy blow to him, but fortunately, the Lady had forgiven his failings, and Ryan had trusted him, appointing him Regent of the Kingdom.
Raun understood that this appointment was a gesture from Ryan, intended to reassure the northern nobles of the king's fair treatment of all nobles, regardless of region.
It was effective. Having suffered greatly in recent wars, the northern knights were worried about their exclusion from the court's core. With Raun as Regent, their anxieties eased.
However, Raun now faced the political demands and pressures of the northern nobility.
For instance, the matter of Obion. Although Ryan opposed the Obion expedition, the Dukes Talbot of Le-Angouleme, Adalhard of Lyonnais, and Saint Knight De Lyonesse of Connétable continued to petition for the campaign. While Ryan was away, their requests landed on Raun's desk repeatedly, some even suggesting they'd go without royal support.
It was a dilemma for Raun.
And Raun's own thoughts?
Looking out at the bleak, snow-covered landscape and the misty mountains in the distance, he furrowed his brow. Deep down, he too wanted to march on Obion.
Why?
Because Raun hadn't participated in the Eight Peaks Expedition, a campaign that rewarded every noble, freeman, and serf who took part. Those who had returned were now dubbed the "Eight Peaks Clan," having gained honor, wealth, and an esteemed identity.
But Raun, having missed out, lacked both the rewards and the glory, leaving him feeling somewhat inadequate among the "Eight Peaks" nobles.
This was why most northern nobles supported the Obion campaign.
The desire wasn't limited to the nobility; freemen and serfs alike were eager for the campaign.
Why? Because they wanted a chance to rise.
Ryan's reforms had opened a path for the common people through war. All surviving serfs from the Eight Peaks Expedition had been promoted to freemen. Hundreds of freemen had even been knighted, and some Old Guard members had received the honor of drinking from the Grail.
This inspired both the serfs and freemen. Who didn't aspire to join the Old Guard or become a knight?
Eager for war, they saw it as an opportunity for advancement.
With both nobles and commoners calling for action, Raun found himself in a difficult position.
While Raun pondered, a page entered.
"My lord, the dukes and Lady Morgiana have arrived at the palace for the meeting. Also, Aurora Trovic from Section Seven has news for you."
"Aurora? What brings her here?"
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