Chapter 356 256: An Unexpected Event

At dawn, the sun had just crested the horizon, a pale yellow orb. The morning rays fell at a perfect angle upon Kolon City, gilding the southern city with a golden trim that made it look splendid and dazzling.

The giant beast of an army encamped outside Kolon City gradually reawakened. Countless soldiers emerged from their warm tents, rubbing their hands together.

It was now nearly June, and the weather had warmed. A light breeze brushed against their faces, feeling faintly cool and carrying the scents of blood and smoke.

The Lord had woken up early, found a deserted patch of grass, and was preparing to relieve a night's accumulation. But just as he undid his trousers, Monvert popped out from who knows where and lined up beside him.

"Damn... I shouldn't have stood next to you."

Then, the Wolf Island Count sighed. "With a skill like that alone, you could make a name for yourself in the Royal Court."

"Hehe, my Lord, it's a Talent." The Lord then proceeded to piss a good ten yards against the wind, a stark contrast to the man beside him, who had nearly wet his own shoes.

If he didn't have some true skills to fall back on, why else would Levi have considered becoming a Minstrel charming noble ladies if his pioneering efforts failed?

With the sound of trickling water, and after the patch of grass was thoroughly flooded, the two men pulled up their trousers with satisfied expressions.

"It should all be over today," Monvert said, gazing at the White Castle within Kolon City.

"Indeed. Who would've thought that Miss Liya, who once fled Kolon in disgrace, would actually fight her way back," Levi said with a smile.

To be honest, he was already starting to think about what reward he should negotiate with Liya.

He didn't particularly need more land; his main base was in the Wilderness. If he were granted a fief in the Southern Territory, the difficulty of managing it would be a secondary concern; the main issue was that it would compromise his strategic depth.

"Brother-in-law, have an egg."

Just then, Mier, dressed in a suit of exquisite Silver Armor, walked over carrying a basket of eggs. He gave a few to each of the two men.

"Thank you," Monvert said.

'I didn't expect to scrounge a free breakfast just by visiting the High Cliff Castle camp,' he thought.

"I thought we'd already run out of eggs in our supplies?"

Levi peeled one, tossed it into his mouth, swallowed it down in two bites, and asked doubtfully.

The High Cliff Castle contingent didn't seem large—just two thousand men, including cooks, craftsmen, and Auxiliary Soldiers—but this bunch of gluttons consumed almost as much food as Monvert's entire army.

This whole basket of eggs would barely be enough to get stuck in Zat's teeth.

That was why a hot commodity like eggs had been eaten long ago.

"Hehe, I swiped these from the Count of Monvert's supply train," Mier said, scratching his head with a foolish grin.

Monvert froze. The egg in his mouth suddenly lost its flavor.

Levi secretly gave him a thumbs-up, complimenting Mier on having already grasped a third of his own true teachings.

...

After the noble lords finished their simple breakfast, they led their soldiers in a mighty procession into Kolon, heading for the White Castle.

Today was the trial by combat—a golden opportunity handed to the Lord on a silver platter to build his reputation. For the occasion, he had changed into a suit of fine Leather Armor, donned a pair of exquisite Deer Hide Hunting Boots, and hung a beautiful Mithril Longsword from his waist. He even had his hair specially styled in the current Debei fashion.

This was all so that after dispatching his opponent with a single, supremely brilliant sword strike, he could nonchalantly flick the blood from his blade and, with the lonely air of an unrivaled master, state his name.

It was an homage to the Legendary Sword Saint, "Westgate Bloodflick."

All so the painters could capture the moment in a masterpiece for the ages.

A squad of White-robed Iron Guard already stood on the castle walls, watching the crowd warily. Their leader was Panto.

"My lords, please forgive the suspicions of us poor souls. We cannot allow all of your soldiers to enter the castle," he said, stepping forward.

"Open the gates," Fulina said with a wave of her hand.

The soldiers behind her retreated to a safe distance, leaving only a few dozen Panda People Samurai and some Knights to protect the group.

Soon, the castle gates opened. Several maids stood in the entryway, the baskets on their arms filled with bread and milk.

This was Guest Right.

A tradition passed down since ancient times on the Middle Ages Continent, it was a sacred law observed by all nations.

Whether commoner or noble, once a guest came under a host's roof and accepted the bread and milk they provided, Guest Right took effect.

For the duration of the visit, neither party could bring harm to the other.

Violators would be breaking a sacred tenet, and would be forsaken by the old and new Gods alike.

This was also the other party's way of putting everyone at ease.

After all the Northern Nobles had eaten the bread and milk, both sides breathed a sigh of relief, and the tense atmosphere eased.

"These people are so stingy. This little bit ain't even enough to get stuck in my teeth."

Zat downed the cup of milk—which looked miniature in his hand—in a single gulp, smacking his lips with dissatisfaction.

This oaf, with his two sharp, protruding tusks and burly frame, stood a full three blades tall. For the nobles, it was perhaps only surprising that this Half-Beastman was larger than his kin.

But for the maids, the sight of this Giant Beast seemingly getting angry was enough to make them tremble in fear.

"What the hell do you know?" the Lord said, his voice full of disappointment. "This is Guest Right, you get it? It's not meant to fill your stomach. It's also a matter of faith."

"It means neither side can harm the other. To do so would be to betray the gods of your faith, and you would be abandoned by them."

After a moment, Levi added, "Unless the other party breaks the Guest Right first."

"Mhm, mhm." Zat nodded like a bobblehead, putting on a look that said he completely understood.