Chapter 338 247: The Purpose of the Griffin Knight Order

After holding out for nearly half a month, Black Stone Castle had fallen. Just as the Northern Border Corps cheered and threw open the gates for the main army to come in and crush the last pockets of stubborn resistance, something unexpected happened.

Arriving from the north, the Griffin Knight Order brought not only a gale that rustled the pine needles in the mountains, but also an order that left all commanders and soldiers completely baffled.

As the soldiers hesitated, a new directive shot out from the temporary war council room. They raised their weapons once more and charged straight into the Inner Castle, but the great battle they expected never materialized.

What met their eyes were the soldiers of the Southern Border Guard Army, who had laid down their weapons, their faces as grim as if they were at a funeral. As if walking into an undefended land, the northern soldiers, bewildered, swiftly took control of Black Stone Castle's surrendered troops and its Inner Castle.

To the common grunts, the arrival of the Griffin Knights was bizarre, and this victory was even more bewildering.

Still, after more than half a month of bitter fighting, a victory was a victory, and that was worth celebrating. They wouldn't waste time thinking about it; such problems were for the bigwigs to figure out.

Upon entering the city, Fujero watched the smug Lord standing at the forefront, his expression complex. Some had lost half a Casting Corps in the siege with nothing to show for it. Others had lost all their elite soldiers, and even ended up half-paralyzed, yet failed to earn a single copper coin's worth of merit.

Yet this man, with a force of only a few hundred, had captured the enemy's entire command structure without a single loss. The stark contrast made him feel an undeniable pang of jealousy.

"Old Fu, I was just lucky enough to complete the mission."

The Lord had his hands in his pockets, a smug look plastered on his face. It wasn't until he saw a figure approaching, surrounded by the Northern Nobles, that he switched to a more humble expression.

"Levi, well done."

Dressed in military garb, Fulina was all business. After the brief praise, her gaze shifted to the group of Black Stone Castle nobles behind him, led by Cross.

"Take them all to the dungeons to await judgment." She didn't waste breath on a victor's speech.

But this very brevity made Marquis Cross sigh and filled the other Southern Nobles with apprehension.

A few dozen Combat Qi Knights stepped forward and marched them away.

To be honest, apart from that one top-level meeting, this was the first time Levi had seen Fulina since the campaign began in the south.

Compared to before, she was now wearing Secret Silver Light Armor engraved with exquisite patterns. Her wine-red hair was tied into a waist-length ponytail, and a Treasure Sword hung at her waist. With her sharp demeanor, she looked less like a Duchess and more like a Knight.

However, the regal aura she radiated was something no common grunt could ever hope to possess.

Levi gave a wave of his hand, and the High Cliff Castle contingent immediately went to regroup with the main army outside the city. He, in turn, smoothly joined the procession of nobles, positioning himself half a step behind Fulina.

"Lady Fulina, what's the story with those Griffin Knights?"

Levi asked, having carefully chosen his words.

'After all, they were in front of all the Northern Nobles. The Lord couldn't just call her by her first name, lest he be branded as disrespectful to the Duchess and be verbally flayed by those pigs from the Noble Garden.'

"Hmph. They think they can get me to call a truce with just a few words? The world doesn't work that way." Fulina snorted and strode toward the Inner Castle. "Whatever their objective, this war is unavoidable."

"You did very well this time, Levi. Afterward, I will grant you any one request, as long as it's within my power."

Fulina had written a blank check, and it made the other Northern Nobles feel like they'd just bitten into an unripe lemon. They were green with envy, wishing they could be the one trailing behind the Duchess.

"Lady Fulina, it was merely fate."

Levi spoke humbly, but inwardly he was ecstatic.

'A verbal blank check from a Duchess, made in front of all the Northern Nobles, was nothing like the empty promises from his bosses in his past life. As long as he dared to ask for something within her power, she would actually deliver!'

'This made his decision to forgo entering the Inner Castle—choosing instead to capture these Southern Nobles first to prevent any surprises—completely worth it.'

The Griffin Knights circling overhead, seeing they couldn't stop the war, had no choice but to wait until the flags of the Northern Territory blanketed all of Black Stone Castle. Only then did they slowly descend to the open grounds of the Inner Castle, lest they be mistaken for the enemy's ally and get caught in the crossfire.

…

It took several hours just for the hundred thousand-plus troops to enter the city. Then they had to establish a new camp and set up patrols. By the time everything was settled, the sun on the horizon was a pale, yolky orb.

Fulina went to deal with the Griffin Knights, but the Lord did not go with her.

'When it came down to it, he and Liya were the cause of this war. No King would look kindly on the two main culprits who had instigated a war within his own territory.'

'They were the King's Personal Guard Army. Since subordinates tend to mimic their superiors, they probably wouldn't look too kindly on him or Liya, either. No sense in going over just to get the cold shoulder.'

After fighting for the better part of a month, they were finally in a city again. The Lord was furtively dragging Monvert, the Wolf Island Count, out to experience the local flavor of the southern city.

Unfortunately, after a two-week siege, none of the city's commoners dared to come out. They were all hiding in their homes, with only pairs of eyes peering cautiously through cracks in the doors.

"Levi, maybe we should just go back," Monvert said, exasperated. "This city just went through a war. No one's going to be brave enough to open up for business." He hadn't wanted to come in the first place, but he couldn't refuse the man of the hour who had just conquered Black Stone Castle. And so, he found himself accompanying the highly distinguished Baron.