Lord: Stripped of My Inheritance from the Start - Chapter 460 - 433: The Belated Griffin Squad
Broel had learned from Bruno two days ago about Wushan Territory’s attack on Moonlight Valley.
He had also received orders from His Majesty the King to lead the Griffin Squad to Moonlight City, support Wushan Castle, and capture Jesus to return him to Golden Feather City.
However, per his instructions, he had departed a day late.
They could have reached the front lines yesterday, but instead arrived only after the battle for Moonlight City was over.
From the air, Broel gazed down at the city walls, which were ravaged beyond recognition, and at the long, scorched trenches. He was utterly shocked.
’What scale of battle could have possibly happened here to leave the field in this state?’
“Sir, there’s a golden griffin over there,” his subordinate said, pointing at the mountaintop.
“A golden griffin?”
Broel looked over. “It’s the Crown Prince. Let’s go!”
Over a dozen Griffin Knights landed on the mountain. Broel sensed the atmosphere was off. Garrett, who was usually so full of vigor, now looked completely deflated.
“Your Highness, and Ronin… where is Earl Jesus?”
Garrett did not respond.
Ronin sheathed his Flowing Flame Sword and explained, “I have killed Mephisto, the creator of the Witch Soul Race and the source of all this chaos. The orb that controlled all the Witch Soul Knights has also been shattered.”
A sense of foreboding washed over Broel.
Just as he’d feared, Ronin’s next words confirmed his suspicion.
“Jesus and the other Witch Soul Knights were all controlled by that orb. When it shattered, they lost their lives as well.”
As he spoke, he pointed to Jesus’s corpse lying on the ground not far away.
Stunned, Broel strode over and turned the body face-up. Though the corpse’s features were twisted beyond recognition, it was undoubtedly Jesus.
“This…”
For a moment, Broel was at a loss. After all, despite everything, the dead man was still a member of the Royal Family—the King’s own brother.
Just then, Lurans also reached the summit. Seeing Ronin and Ridder standing there safely, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Count Broel, Wushan Territory has successfully purged the evil Alien Race for His Majesty and brought peace to the Kingdom. Might I ask what instructions His Majesty gave you?”
“Lord Marquis, His Majesty was deeply moved by your and Ronin’s loyalty to the Royal Family, as well as your resolve to uphold its honor. He dispatched me to assist you in eradicating the Alien Race, eliminating the source of this evil, Mephisto, and bringing Jesus back to the Golden Feather Palace.”
He gave the corpse on the ground an awkward glance. “I just didn’t expect we would arrive too late…”
Garrett’s expression finally shifted, his mind snapping out of the haze of his recent defeat.
He frowned, staring at Broel, and asked with some uncertainty, “Are you saying my father, the King, ordered you to support Wushan Territory?”
’From his perspective, it would have been far more advantageous for the Royal Family to side with Jesus.’
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Broel repeated, “His Majesty was concerned that Wushan Territory’s forces might not be sufficient to eliminate the Alien Race, so he sent us to provide air support. We just never expected the battle to go so well—that Wushan Territory would actually manage to crush the alien army!”
Garrett grunted, his face unreadable.
After a brief silence, he shrugged off the arm of the subordinate supporting him. “I’ll leave things here to you. I am returning to Golden Feather City.”
Garrett vaulted onto his griffin’s back. He shot Ronin a look, as if committing his face to memory, then gave a command. The griffin soared into the sky, becoming a tiny dot in the blink of an eye.
His five knights mounted their own griffins and followed suit.
“What’s wrong with the Crown Prince?”
Broel frowned and asked, “Was he injured in the battle just now?”
Lurans was also very curious. Garrett’s arrival was a complete surprise, and he didn’t know what had happened on the mountain peak.
However, he was certain the Crown Prince had not been injured fighting Mephisto.
Ronin smiled faintly and explained, “The Crown Prince and I just had a little spar. I won by a narrow margin. I imagine that’s why he’s displeased.”
Broel was stunned. ’Knowing Garrett’s personality,’ he thought, ’if Ronin really did defeat him, he would be in an absolutely foul mood.’
’What he didn’t understand, though, was why Ronin and Garrett would be dueling in the middle of a battle against the Witch Soul Race.’
Lurans, however, had an expression of indescribable joy and pride, along with deep satisfaction and relief.
’My grandson’s power has finally surpassed the Kingdom’s youngest prodigy.’
Broel snapped back to the present. “Mephisto may be dead, but Jesus also died because of him. I need to take his body back to Golden Feather City and report back. Lord Marquis, Ronin, what are your plans?”
This was clearly Bruno’s way of testing Lurans and Ronin’s intentions.
The two exchanged a look. Lurans chuckled. “We waged war on Moonlight Valley for the peace of the Kingdom and the safety of the Human Race. Now that the source of the turmoil has been eliminated, the army of Wushan Territory will naturally withdraw to Shore City.”
Although Jesus, his wife, and his children had all died in the war, leaving Moonlight Valley without a direct heir, the territory did not automatically belong to Ronin just because he had conquered it.
According to inheritance law, the right of succession fell to the maternal grandfather of Jesus’s son—Duke Valgis.
However, with a claim superseding that of Duke Valgis, His Majesty King Bruno also possessed the right of inheritance as Jesus’s brother.
Based on Lurans and Ronin’s prior discussion, the territory would most likely be reclaimed by Bruno.
In any case, unless Wushan Territory chose to occupy it by force, they had neither the right nor the justification to claim a piece of the pie.
Hearing Lurans’s words, Broel secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled and said, “You paid a great price to solve this major problem for the Royal Family. His Majesty will surely not let your efforts go unrewarded.”
’That sounds a lot like an empty promise.’
Lurans just smiled and said humbly, “It is our duty to serve His Majesty faithfully.”
After briefly discussing the battle, Broel loaded Jesus’s body onto a griffin and headed straight for the Royal Capital.
News of the war between Wushan Territory and Moonlight Valley would soon spread throughout the entire Kingdom.
Once Broel had departed and only their own people remained on the summit, Lurans finally asked, “Ronin, how did a conflict break out between you and Garrett?”
Ronin recounted the whole story.
Lurans nodded slowly. “Garrett’s Cultivation talent and power are indeed impressive, but he is remarkably inept when it comes to handling situations. The defeat of the Alien Race was already inevitable, yet he still thought he could change the outcome all by himself.”
He remarked, “He could be a great War General, but he is far too lacking in political acumen. He’s not fit to be King.”
At this, he turned to Ronin. “But what I didn’t expect was you, Ronin. You’ve actually become a Proud Sun Knight and a Great Mage! If one day you were to follow in Emperor Orland’s footsteps and unify this continent, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.”
Ronin laughed. This was the first time Lurans had spoken so bluntly.
“It’s still too early to talk about such things.”
Ronin turned to Ridder. “Have Joffrey lead a team to search Moonlight City and see if there are any survivors. If there are, tell them I’m willing to provide them with housing, fields, and a stable living environment, and see if they are willing to migrate to Wubei Territory.”
It was still uncertain if he would gain any territory from this war, but if the opportunity arose, Ronin wouldn’t refuse it.
What he was most concerned about now was population. This was the key factor to completing the Population Prosperity and Siege and Conquest achievements.
Having become a Proud Sun Knight and a Great Mage, Ronin was beginning to truly appreciate the benefits of great Power.
Before, when dealing with Garrett, he had to be cautious and strategic. Now, he could worry less—he could even say no directly.
This was the confidence that came with true power.
“Don’t forget, have someone search Moonlight Castle,” Lurans reminded with a smile.
“His Majesty didn’t have the Griffin Squad take direct control of Moonlight Castle. He’s clearly giving us an opportunity. Jesus accumulated considerable wealth over the years. Don’t let someone else walk away with it.”
Ridder grinned. “Understood.”
