Pat took one look at Jim and burst out laughing. Lorist was smiling too. "Just crawled out of a pile of women, did you?"
Jim blinked. "My lord, how did you know? Did you go over there last night too?"
Lorist looked around for something silvery to use as a mirror, then simply drew a dagger and held the flat of the blade in front of Jim's face. "Take a look at your own face…"
Jim frantically wiped at his face with his hands. "Sorry about that, I was in a rush and forgot to wash…"
"So, what did you find out?" Lorist asked.
"My lord, the reason the Kennes family forces stopped attacking the city is that the soldiers refused to follow the viscount's orders — it nearly turned into a mutiny. Last night I went to the tavern at the war zone trading company's camp to buy drinks for a few old friends from the mercenary companies, and I happened to run into Viscount Kennes sending someone to negotiate with those four mercenary companies. He wanted to hire them to attack our fortress and was offering top dollar. But those four company commanders were all old foxes — they just said they'd think it over and wouldn't commit right away."
"Then a big group of Kennes family soldiers came to drink, and when they spotted the man Viscount Kennes had sent to negotiate with the mercenaries, they started cursing him out. They said if the viscount wanted to take the fortress, he could go do it himself — they weren't going to march to their deaths. If the viscount hadn't been so stubborn, over two hundred of their comrades wouldn't be dead, and another two hundred-plus wouldn't be lying around suffering from their wounds. They'd originally thought joining the Kennes family forces would mean a life of comfort and easy meals, but instead the Kennes family had tricked them into coming to the Northland to die. They said a lot of ugly things."
"The four mercenary company commanders heard what those soldiers had to say and turned down Viscount Kennes's offer. I bought two rounds of drinks for those soldiers. They said that the day before yesterday afternoon, Viscount Kennes had still wanted to attack the fortress and even wanted to execute a few soldiers who tried to run, but all the soldiers refused. They said anyone who charged those fortified walls would die, and they stood their ground against the viscount. In the end, Viscount Kennes had no choice but to let them set up camp and rest. He handed out a batch of bonus gold to calm them down."
"Those soldiers also said that the seven lords had been invited by Viscount Kennes to attack the fortress together, but they were still bickering among themselves. One soldier standing guard at the entrance to Viscount Kennes's main tent said the seven lords demanded that Viscount Kennes lead the attack himself first, and they would follow. It was only because the Kennes family soldiers refused to obey his orders that the viscount had turned to hiring those four mercenary companies. Those soldiers warned the mercenaries not to fall for it and march to their deaths." Jim finally finished his report.
"Sigh, if we'd known this earlier, we wouldn't have needed to rush back. We could've dealt with Northwild Town first and come back after," Pat said, vexed.
Lorist said, "When we received the urgent summons, we had no way of knowing things would develop like this. The situation really was dire at the time. Three garrison squads, and one and a half of them were suddenly gone — how could anyone not worry?"
From outside the fortress came a series of horn blasts — wooo, wooo, wooo…
"That sounds like someone coming to challenge us? Let's go take a look…" Lorist headed out first and made his way to the tower atop the outer wall.
Three riders had appeared in the clearing before
To the knight's left was a tall squire in gray-white leather armor, holding a blue-and-white swallow-tailed pennant in one hand — bearing the same pegasus design — and a horn in the other. It seemed he had been the one who'd blown the challenge call just moments ago.
To the knight's right was a middle-aged man in a gray-blue robe, but he had a booming voice and was loudly proclaiming the knight's titles and past victories…
"My master, Sir Lanbowei, has won the Wissi Cup Knight Tournament three times and was called the 'Young Lion Knight' by Duke Pupadera. He also participated in the Battle of Minashevek, where over a dozen famous knights fell before his steed… Today, he stands before this magnificent, enormous, and impregnable fortress to issue a challenge to the Roaring Fierce Bear, famous throughout the Northland — the
After the middle-aged man finished speaking, the squire in leather armor raised his horn once more and blew the challenge call again…
"My lord, look…" Pat pointed into the distance.
Lorist looked up and saw that a great many people were pouring out of the camps of the seven lords and the Kennes family forces. They didn't look like they were coming to fight, though — they were there to watch the show. Some servants had even quickly set up a sun-shading canopy and were attentively helping several women dressed as noble ladies take their seats.
"My lord… what are they doing?" Jim was bewildered.
"They're challenging us — a knightly challenge," Lorist explained.
Down below, the loud-voiced squire had begun his second proclamation, delivering the same content as before.
With the crowd growing, the squire's voice rose even louder.
"Th-then why is he saying it a second time? Didn't he already say it?" Jim asked.
"The horn must sound three times, and the introduction must be made three times. If no one from our side comes out to accept the challenge, then this knight can later proclaim that his name alone struck terror into the Norton Family — that they dared not face his valor and could only cower behind their fortress walls, trembling in fear," Lorist said.
"Then let me put an arrow in him and see if he still dares act so arrogant down there…" Jim made to reach for the wall-mounted ballista beside him.
"Are you insane? Do you want to make us the laughingstock and object of contempt for everyone? If you loose that arrow, the Norton Family's two-hundred-year reputation will be completely destroyed. We'd be branded cowards and become a joke for eternity." Pat grabbed Jim by the arm.
"Jim, this is the war of nobles — an ancient and traditional form of combat. Every knight who first steps onto the path of knighthood must learn this lesson. For a knight, this form of combat is sacred and glorious. If you disrupt this challenge, you will become the enemy of every knight on the Galentea Continent," Lorist said.
"Ovickis, do you want to go out and accept the challenge?" Lorist turned to ask the silent Ovickis beside him.
"Ah, my lord, I… I'm a commoner…" Ovickis lowered his head.
"My apologies — this should have been given to you long ago, but I kept forgetting." A Fierce Bear Knight's emblem appeared in Lorist's hand — Pat had passed it to him.
Strictly speaking, Ovickis was still Lorist's captive and war prize, without personal freedom. Even the guards who were former bandits were in the same situation.
"Since joining me, your loyalty and diligence have earned my trust. Especially recently, your performance has been outstanding. Ovickis, will you become my knight and fight under the banner of the Fierce Bear?" Lorist asked with a solemn expression.
Ovickis's eyes brimmed with tears. He knelt on one knee before Lorist, placing his right hand over his heart. "I, Silan Ovickis, pledge my loyalty to Lord Lorist. Let the God of War bear witness to the loyalty I forge with my life and blood. I shall follow the Norton Family's banner and fight bravely in the roar of the Fierce Bear, until my final breath…"
Lorist drew his sword and tapped Ovickis on each shoulder twice. "Rise, my knight."
Lorist pinned the Fierce Bear Knight's emblem into the gap of Ovickis's iron breastplate. Pat and Ovickis embraced tightly. "Welcome to the fold, brother."
The moment the knighthood ceremony was complete, Ovickis saluted Lorist and sprinted toward the gate. Lorist called after him, "Have
When the third challenge horn sounded, the drawbridge of Rock Fortress was lowered and the gate swung wide open. Ovickis led Sedekamp and another guard carrying the Fierce Bear banner in a charge outside. All the onlookers erupted in cheers — there was finally some entertainment to be had.
Old man
"My lord, what are they doing?" Although Jim had kept quiet during Ovickis's knighting ceremony, the envy on his face was impossible to hide. Ever since Lorist had agreed to let him serve a few nights ago, he'd understood that if he performed well and earned some merit, Ovickis would be his role model.
"They're negotiating the terms of the challenge — mounted combat or on foot, what weapons to use, and so on. If the challenging knight hasn't specified a method, then we can demand to fight in the way we're most proficient. For example, if
"Some powerful knights don't care about the method — they're supremely confident in themselves. But Ovickis's opponent down there is clearly overconfident and full of himself. If Ovickis had demanded foot combat, that fellow would have been dumbfounded," Lorist said.
Unfortunately, Ovickis didn't choose foot combat. Perhaps because he was too excited about just becoming a Norton Family knight, he opted for mounted combat. The two riders withdrew to a distance of thirty meters. The opposing knight, Lanbowei, lowered his visor while Ovickis readied his lance. Both raised their left hands to signal they were prepared, and now all that remained was for Sedekamp's handkerchief to drop before they would charge at each other in their duel.
A small interlude occurred — Sedekamp tossed his handkerchief into the air, but just before it could touch the ground, a gentle breeze caught it, sending it spinning and twirling through the sky. Everyone stared at the handkerchief, watching it dance in the wind…
Lorist struggled to hold back his laughter, his stomach nearly aching from the effort. Jim had no such reservations — he laughed so hard he kept bumping his head against the wall. Pat and the others were laughing too, though not as theatrically as Jim. What was supposed to be a sacred and solemn challenge had been turned into a farce by a handkerchief.
It wasn't until the handkerchief had attracted enough attention that it finally drifted slowly to the ground…
"Charge!" Ovickis let out a low roar, clamped his legs against his horse's flanks, and surged forward. He refused to be defeated on his very first day as a knight — he would defeat his opponent, no matter what.
Sword energy erupted from the knight's lance. Like Ovickis, he was also a Silver Two-Star knight…
The two energy-infused lances collided with a deafening crash. The two mounts circled each other as the knights engaged in fierce combat…
Unlike what Lorist remembered, knights in the medieval world of his previous life had no
In terms of skill, the knight named Lanbowei was clearly more refined and polished than Ovickis, obviously having undergone long and rigorous training. But Ovickis had the advantage of extensive battle experience. In terms of sheer ferocity, he was far more savage — several times he willingly traded wounds with his opponent, and this mutual-destruction approach quickly put Lanbowei on the defensive. The knight found his moves constrained and was forced into a passive, reactive position.
With a sudden explosive shout, Ovickis charged forward like a mad tiger, wielding his lance like a staff and raining down blows from above. After five or six consecutive strikes, Lanbowei could no longer hold his guard and was knocked from his horse. When he raised his head, the tip of Ovickis's energy-charged lance was already pointed at his throat.
Lanbowei sat on the ground, helpless, and waved his hand in surrender. Ovickis withdrew his lance. Lanbowei's squire laid the raised banner horizontally across his horse's back and picked up the horn, blowing a low, mournful note — the signal that the challenging knight had been defeated and would be departing.
Sedekamp rode forward to speak quietly with the loud-voiced squire for a while, then bowed and parted ways. Lanbowei also climbed to his feet and gave Ovickis, still mounted, a hand-over-heart salute. Ovickis responded by lightly tapping his own left breastplate with his fist — the knight's salute, expressing admiration for his opponent's courage and offering his respects.
"My lord, is it over just like that? Why didn't Ovickis kill him?" Jim asked.
"Generally speaking, very few people die in these kinds of noble duels, unless it's an accident or an unintended kill. Knights hold back as much as they can and avoid taking their opponent's life easily, simply because the opponent is also a brave knight like themselves. However, the defeated knight must pay a ransom equal to his worth as the victor's war prize. For these ransoms, the defeated knight is expected to assess his own value. If he can't afford the ransom, he must surrender his armor, weapons, and mount. Just now, Sedekamp was confirming the delivery timeline for the ransom with the opposing squire. Barring any surprises, the knight's squire should be delivering the ransom shortly," Lorist patiently explained.
Jim scratched his head. "My lord, why do I feel like this kind of noble war is just children playing house?"
Lorist replied with something quite philosophical: "Because life itself is just a game…"