Laine walked towards a small house in the town.
As the season delved deeper into winter, the weather grew colder. The roadsides were crowded with refugees, many huddled in cold corners shivering. The houses were also packed with people, visible through the windows as shadows.
After discussing with Albert, he received very bad news—neither the city's garrison nor the nobles had any Legendary Powerhouses; the two Kingdom Knights were merely Elite Tier, ascending to their ranks due to their noble heritage.
These two men were not very strong, one was an Elite Tier Ranger, and the other was an Elite Tier Warrior.
But Crushing Bear was a Legendary High-Tier Barbarian Chief! A Chaos Warrior blessed by the Blood God!
He arrived in front of a longhouse and knocked on the door.
"Hello! May I help you?" A young man opened the door.
It was Aik, and upon seeing Laine at the door, his expression turned subtly.
"Son of Gade, now it's your turn to repay my favor and fight alongside me." The voice in response was frigid and aloof.
A troop of five hundred soldiers, led by Laine and others, marched out of the city.
Consisting of two hundred shield-bearing Long Halberdiers, one hundred Great Swordsmen, and two hundred crossbowmen, along with a few dozen cavalry.
Albert trusted Laine immensely, placing his entire main force under Laine's command and ordering Nikolai to obey Laine as well.
Such is the power of reputation; if Laine's repute was national, then Nikolai's was at most village-level. Laine was a White Wolf Knight within the White Wolf Knight Order, whereas Walnut…had no such Knight Corps.
"Greetings, Mr. Laine, I'm Lops!" An armored knight wielding a long halberd emerged from behind: "I've heard much of your fame, and it's an honor to fight beside you."
"I believe you are…Lord of Mosheen's son? We've met before." Laine queried, recognizing the young man as the son of Lord of Mosheen Heide, one of Heide's many capable offspring. Why was he here now?
"Indeed, we've met. I'm now a Wandering Knight, honored to see you." Lops was a youthful blond with a clean-shaven face but fine features and freckles. He was clad in full plate armor and a pointed hood, with facial hair seemingly grown to appear mature, likely of a similar age to Laine.
"A Wandering Knight? Why did you choose to roam?" Laine asked casually, "Did you sleep with your father's maid and got expelled?"
Another gloomy day, since departing, Nord's weather had been consistently poor, and the troop's mood matched the overcast skies, faces marked with gloom.
The soldiers' morale was low, and the officers' expressions were no better.
"It was my own choice." Lops forced a smile: "After witnessing an unjust trial, staying home didn't appeal. My father's title wouldn't pass to me, so I chose to wander."
"...I see." Laine nodded; the reasons behind Wandering Knights were varied, involving the continent's primogeniture inheritance law. With only the eldest sons inheriting titles, other children might receive a small fief.
Thus many noble offspring become Wandering Knights.
He glanced at Aik riding behind him with a downcast expression.
Aik Albrecht, the legitimate child of Baron Albrecht of Wolrich Territory, belonged to the White Wolf Knight Order's Fifth Company under "Eagle Hook" Baron Gade Albrecht.
What does legitimate mean?
For nobles, illegitimate children signify disgrace, often evicted outright. If a noble dares to bring home a child sired with a lowly farmer's daughter, their mistreatment by noble women is protected by Imperial law.
Yet, in two scenarios, illegitimate children remain untainted.
The first scenario involves parents both esteemed in human society or noble themselves, thereby elevating the child's status. Such was the relationship between the founding Emperor Ludwig of the New Empire and the first Speaker of Jialan Council, Holy Sanctuary Witch Margarita, birthing a respected child.
The second entails children of noble maids or female courtiers, lacking inheritance rights but earning social identity.
These classifications allow the 'legitimization' of such births.
Aik belonged to the second category.
Thus, Aik's daring request and unmanaged disrespect during the journey were tolerated.
Aik's "standing alongside him" didn't signify camaraderie but recalled Laine's past cooperation with his father on the Ovrel River to squash a Beastman Warband.
Laine merely extended favor towards Aik for Gade's sake. This understanding was mutual, forcing Aik's embarrassment.
He had already compromised much in pursuit of survival and reputation.
Upon finding Aik alone after discovering the Wandering Knights had fled, pooling money for a ship, their whereabouts unknown, only Aik remained, burdened by his surname. Should he flee from Laine amidst imminent threat, his family's honor would suffer.
As evident, this Wandering Knight bore immense pressure.
Gade never mentioned this son before Laine, clearly harboring no fondness.
Reflecting on this brought a snicker from Laine. Who was he to judge others?
A Celestial Dynasty native traversed across worlds?
Bald Norman's beloved adopted son?
Godfather Ivan's esteemed protégé?
Or the Emperor's…illegitimate child?
"Mr. Laine! We've reached Moon Lake." Reminded the Sergeant Major, seeing Laine lost in thought.
Laine regained focus facing the destroyed scene.
A serene lake lay before him, its waters thinly iced, extending into the unseen. Grey clouds formed thick curtains over the sky, while the lake's surface mirrored the white glow between heaven and earth. Updates are released by novelFɪre.net
For a moment, Laine hallucinated, believing sky and earth reversed.
Moon Lake was encircled by forests and ruins. These buildings, crafted extensively from white stone with pointed roofs, had collapsed under time's weight, threatened by invasive thick trees.
This place once thrived with an enviable history. Laine knew it served as a settlement and stronghold prior to Elves leaving the continent, marked by human Wizard Empire engagements where apprentices learned magic from Elves before the Great Calamity.
After the Elves' departure from the Old World, the city was fully deserted. Past magical research caused volatile magical energy and waves, repelling habitation. Centuries of adventurers plundered remnants of treasures, leaving only scarce Casters visiting as a pilgrimage to break its silence.
"Tonight, we'll set camp here! Tomorrow, we reach Aarhus Bridge."