In fact, as Ryan had said, the current situation was such that the Wood Elves were the ones who had to beg Ryan, not the other way around.
It was just that these isolationists had grown accustomed to being domineering. They habitually believed that any human action, decision, or move involving the Asrai must be accompanied by a display of sincerity.
The Wood Elves had only actively shown sincerity to two humans in history. One was Emperor Karl Franz. During his childhood, Karl Franz had been saved by a group of Wood Elves, and as an adult, he had received a griffon egg in the World's Edge Mountains, which later became Deathclaw. This wasn't just luck—the egg had been intentionally given to him by the Wood Elves.
At Karl Franz's coronation, the Wood Elves had also appeared, telling the Emperor:
1. You have earned the recognition of the Asrai, but we will be watching you closely.
2. As per tradition, keep your people far away from our forests.
The second human was Ryan.
So, from the Wood Elves' perspective, it was simple: they had already decided to form an alliance with humans, they had extended the olive branch, so shouldn't the humans show a little more understanding? Shouldn't they take the initiative to make concessions and agree to their terms? Wouldn't that make everyone happy?
This reminded Ryan of his previous life's experiences with a certain powerful nation. That nation often adopted a similar attitude: "We've already proposed reconciliation. We, the noble and powerful, have shown our willingness to let bygones be bygones. Why aren't you showing some sincerity? Why aren't you making concessions?"
Frustrating, wasn't it?
Sure enough, not long after Ryan finished speaking with his son, Sulia entered the room. The elegant and radiant Knight Queen, dressed in a stunning outfit with her long legs clad in black stockings and high-heeled boots, asked, "Ryan, Devonshire, you're both here?"
"Mom!" Devonshire was excited. The son truly cherished the rare moments of one-on-one time with his father, so he immediately boasted, "Father praised me as a promising grandson!"
"Is that so? That's wonderful! Your father rarely praises anyone," Sulia said affectionately, reaching out to pat Devonshire's head. The Knight Queen only had Devonshire as her child, and seeing the father and son getting along so well filled her with joy. "The Twilight Sisters are still waiting for you outside. Go play with them. I need to talk to your father for a bit."
"Alright!" Devonshire nodded and was about to leave.
"Wait," Ryan shook his head, then spoke seriously to Sulia. "Sulia, Devonshire is almost sixteen. This matter concerns him, so he should know."
Sulia pondered her husband's words for a few seconds. Her sea-blue eyes lit up, and she naturally pulled over a chair to sit beside Ryan. "You're not angry?"
"If getting angry solved anything, I'd be angry every day," Ryan chuckled. He took Sulia's gloved hand in his and asked with interest, "So, how did the Lady and Queen Alarielle's discussion go?"
Sulia breathed a sigh of relief. The Knight Queen had been genuinely worried that her beloved husband and her close friend might clash, leaving her caught in the middle. She quickly explained, "The Lady didn't mean any harm. She's just used to taking charge. Both we and the Wood Elves know that only you can truly harm Morghur. She's your wife and Devonshire's mother. How could she betray you?"
"I know," Ryan seemed immune to such reassurances. The Primarch simply smiled. "What happened after I left? How did the discussion go?"
"The Lady and Queen Alarielle talked again. The Lady repeatedly emphasized that we can't do this without you. Queen Alarielle conceded. She said she could betroth the Twilight Sisters to Devonshire, but it must be a formal marriage ceremony, and it must be public," Sulia said. "If we can permanently eliminate Morghur, the Twilight Sisters will remain in Bretonnia, commanding an army of eight thousand Asrai warriors, named the 'Vanguard of Alarielle,' and will follow your orders during the End Times."
Devonshire's heart began to race.
The Wood Elves were really going to marry the Twilight Sisters to him? They were Queen Alarielle's cherished daughters, two high-tier Saint Realm warriors who rode forest dragons!
Moreover, after interacting with them, Devonshire instinctively felt that the Twilight Sisters bore him no ill will. They genuinely liked him.
"The Wood Elves are willing to join our military command?" Ryan found this offer surprisingly generous and was somewhat skeptical.
"They will follow you, not Bretonnia," Sulia shook her head slightly. "There's a difference. And they will only consider mobilizing under your or my direct orders."
Ryan thought this was essentially the same. It was a good arrangement. After some consideration, he added, "As for their status, Father would never tolerate an elf becoming Devonshire's wife. That's non-negotiable. But they can be his personal attendants and, in the future, hold the position of Chief Lady-in-Waiting."
"Understood," Sulia wasn't surprised by this. After all, how had she become the Empire's Princess Consort and Lady of the Lake?
"Is there a specific timeline? When can Queen Alarielle begin the ritual?" Ryan continued.
"Preferably as soon as possible. Queen Alarielle's power is waning with every passing moment," Sulia said. "If you have no objections, we can begin preparations for the purification ritual as soon as Orion revives next spring. That's Queen Alarielle's suggestion."
"Can't we start now?" Ryan frowned. "If Queen Alarielle's power is already fading, wouldn't it be better to act sooner?"
"But... we'd be missing a demigod's combat strength," Sulia hesitated.
"What good is a demigod's strength? The Wood Elves had demigods before, but did they ever truly kill Morghur? How many elven god avatars has Morghur devoured?" Ryan said bluntly. "If they can't do it themselves, they shouldn't blame others. Tell Queen Alarielle to summon her champion, Alarielle the Radiant, and the Wood Elf army. We'll take a month to gather our forces and prepare the battlefield."
Sulia thought about it and found Ryan's reasoning sound. She didn't press further. "But a month might be too short. Queen Alarielle mentioned she needs time to prepare materials and set up the ritual."
"You're also falling into a fixed mindset, always thinking that since the Wood Elves have made concessions and taken the initiative, we should accommodate them. But we don't owe them anything," Ryan put down his book and spoke to his wife. "Who is more desperate to eliminate Morghur—them or us? If a month isn't enough, make it two. That's plenty of time."
"So, we'll proceed with the Wood Elves as planned?" Sulia no longer had any objections.
"An alliance with the Wood Elves is necessary. For one, it will bring these isolationists out of the forest to fight alongside us. In terms of military quality, the Wood Elves' forest guards' ranged capabilities far surpass those of our Bretonnian peasant bowmen. Secondly, the Wood Elves are the natural enemies of the Skaven. Have you heard the news from the southern realms? Recently, over a hundred villages and several towns near the Blighted Marshes have vanished. With the End Times approaching, the Skaven won't remain idle," Ryan said gravely. "But we know nothing about the underground world. If the Wood Elves can assist us, we can detect and defend against Skaven surprise attacks on the Knight Kingdom."
While it was important to stand firm, compromise was also necessary. Bretonnia needed the Wood Elves, and Ryan was well aware of this.
"What about the dwarfs?" Devonshire suddenly asked.
"If the dwarfs were capable, they wouldn't have lost one stronghold after another to the Skaven. The Angrund Clan wouldn't have been driven out of Karak Eight Peaks, and Belegar wouldn't have suffered three disastrous expeditions before finally succeeding with our full support," Ryan quipped. "The dwarfs have experience fighting the Skaven, but they can't achieve the overwhelming advantage the Wood Elves have."
"I understand. I'll inform the Lady and Queen Alarielle," Sulia nodded. The Knight Queen took on the role of mediator and was about to leave when Ryan, with a mischievous grin, swept her off her feet. "What's the rush, my dear? I just checked, and the view from the bedroom window is stunning—you can see the peaks of Parravon!"
Without waiting for Sulia's response, Ryan carried her toward the bedroom. He gently untied the laces of her boots, and the Knight Queen's high-heeled boots fell to the floor. Sulia, both embarrassed and annoyed, struggled with her long, stocking-clad legs. "What are you doing, Ryan? Devonshire is still here! Dinner is almost ready!"
Devonshire: "???"
The son watched in confusion as his father carried his mother away. He wasn't sure whether to stay or leave, so he remained seated in the study.
Fortunately, the parents returned quickly. In less than five minutes, only Ryan came back to the study.
Devonshire wore an expression of "shock," covering his face with his hands and muttering in disbelief, "Father, it hasn't even been five minutes!"
"?" Ryan looked puzzled for a moment before a vein popped on his forehead. The father kicked his son's backside, his tone dangerous. "I just carried your mother to the bedroom, helped her hang up her coat, and made her a cup of tea. She's been working hard on internal affairs and traveling. I wanted her to rest for a while. What were you thinking, you little rascal?"
Devonshire, clutching his backside, quickly backed away, grinning mischievously. But he yelped in pain again. "Ouch!"
Ryan kicked his son's backside once more, both exasperated and amused. "You're pleased, aren't you? Two beautiful elven sisters are going to be your personal attendants. You're thrilled, right?"
"Hehehe~ Father is as wise and mighty as Grandfather!" Devonshire quickly said.
"Enough of that. I hear more flattery in a day than the waters of the Grismerie River," Ryan said, eyeing Devonshire skeptically. "If all goes well, the ceremony for your Sisters Naestra and Araloth to become your personal attendants will be held soon, right here in Parravon. Are you ready to face two 'older sisters' who are centuries old?"
"Uh, I'll do my best, just like Grandfather, with great power!" Devonshire declared boldly.
"You?" Ryan snorted. He picked up Sulia's suede boots and hung them on his wrist. "Fine, I have a task for you. You heard our discussion earlier, right? Go tell your mother Lileath that the ceremony for you and the Twilight Sisters symbolizes the military alliance between Bretonnia and Athel Loren. It must be a grand event. Your Uncle Angron will also attend."
"Got it~ Father, you can count on me!" Devonshire pointed meaningfully toward the bedroom, grinning. "Two hours!"
"You little brat!" Ryan raised his leg again, but Devonshire was quick. The son darted out of the room.
Ryan watched his son disappear, a warm smile spreading across his face.
"Two hours, huh?"
"Not bad."
————I am the dividing line for taking care of business first————
The Sun King acted swiftly. Within two days, the military alliance between Bretonnia and the Wood Elves was formally signed.
Bretonnia and the Wood Elves would jointly assemble an army of over seventy thousand to fight in the Withering Lands of Anmyr, at the edge of Athel Loren Forest. Queen Alarielle estimated it would take seven to eight weeks to gather the troops and initiate the ritual.
As a symbol of friendship, the Twilight Sisters—Queen Alarielle's mortal representatives and, in a sense, her daughters—would become the personal attendants of the Sun King's eldest son, Devonshire. A grand marriage ceremony would be held in the Duchy of Parravon to formalize this union.
This new alliance brought joy to both the Bretonnians and the Wood Elves. In these dark times, the two factions had already fought side by side on multiple occasions. The prospect of finally eliminating Morghur made everyone feel that this alliance was worth its weight in gold.
The Lady of the Lake, relieved that Ryan wasn't truly angry, saw her grand plan taking its first step.
A day after the alliance was signed, in the middle reaches of the Grey Mountains, within the territory of Parravon, stood the cursed Castle Sanglac.
Centuries ago, Castle Sanglac had been the stronghold of a baronial family. The land was barren and isolated. A century ago, it was discovered that the baronial family had perished, and the castle was filled with the corpses of greenskins and humans.
This wasn't unusual for the Grey Mountains, so no one paid much attention. One of the Duke's sons was allowed to inherit the baronial title, Castle Sanglac, and the surrounding lands. But within a decade, this new baronial family met the same fate as the greenskins.
This shocked the Duchy of Parravon. A renowned knight of the realm, a legendary warrior known for his prowess against greenskins, was appointed as the castle's lord and baron.
Within a few years, he too met his end. The Duke of Parravon decided to abandon the castle and the already barren lands, leaving them to the greenskins.
However, what was even more shocking was that later, when adventurers explored the abandoned castle, they found it filled with dead greenskins, piled high like mountains.
Since then, the place had become a forbidden zone.
Yet, on this day, Ryan, accompanied only by his wife Sulia and his courtier, Tarlien, arrived at the castle.
Tarlien's intelligence network had informed him that the Lahmian Sisterhood wished to meet here, offering an important piece of information free of charge.
At the meeting spot, a young girl in a white dress stood in the shadows. She was beautiful, appearing to be only fifteen or sixteen years old. Seeing Ryan and Sulia, she bowed respectfully.
"Respected Sun King, I bring greetings from the Blood Queen."
"Given the Blood Dragon Ancestor's previous assistance, I'll hear what the Lahmians have to say," Ryan said calmly. "You have five minutes."
"It won't take that long," the girl bowed again. "The Blood Queen wishes to inform you that soon, Mannfred will declare that Sylvania has permanently seceded from the Empire."
"Permanent secession? Aren't Mannfred and Arkhan afraid of triggering a Vampire Crusade?" Ryan asked curiously. "Sylvania is Imperial territory. The Empire won't tolerate this."
"That is precisely what Mannfred wants," the girl whispered. "A Vampire Crusade. A Sylvania Crusade."
"I see," Ryan nodded. On this matter, Neferata had no reason to deceive him. She had no desire to see Nagash resurrected.
"There's one more thing. The Blood Queen hopes to reconcile with Your Majesty... Please hear me out," the girl quickly added. "The Staff of Nagash remains in your monastery. The Lich King will come for it eventually."
"What does that have to do with you?" Ryan said coldly.
"The Blood Queen is willing to gather intelligence for you. The Lahmian Sisterhood will inform you immediately if we learn of Arkhan's plans or movements," the girl bowed again. "Unconditionally."
"The Blood Queen's only request is reconciliation with Your Majesty."
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