On the relatively less rugged mountain roads of Parravon, Ryan, Sulia, and Tarlien rode side by side on their warhorses. However, Tarlien deliberately lagged half a step behind Ryan and Sulia, as if deep in thought or waiting for something.
Sure enough, after a few seconds, Ryan spoke up: "Do you think we should reconcile with Neferata, the Blood Queen of the Lahmians?"
"If we reconcile with Neferata, what does that make of the nobles and soldiers who died in the bloody battle at the Gates of Valaya?" Sulia shook her head, her expression displeased. "But given the current situation, Neferata is still useful to us. So, for now, we should tolerate her and see how sincere she is. Besides, as the girl said, we and Neferata are on the same side when it comes to preventing Nagash's resurrection."
"Indeed. Everything must be done for the sake of national interest. A mature ruler must know how to endure. I just taught Devonshire that," Ryan sighed helplessly. He then turned to Tarlien. "What do you think, Tarlien?"
"Your Majesty, the Lahmians' infiltration of human society and high-level organizations is unparalleled in the Old World," Tarlien said carefully. "We can use this connection to our advantage, as no intelligence network can compare to the Lahmian Sisterhood."
"And how sincere do you think Neferata is?" Ryan smiled and asked further.
"The essence of loyalty is that the cost of betrayal is too high. At least until Nagash is resurrected—or we successfully prevent his resurrection—this Blood Queen of the Lahmians is somewhat trustworthy," Tarlien thought for a moment before deciding to speak three parts and leave seven unsaid. "After all, we know too little about the undead. In these dark times, anyone willing to cooperate should be given a chance to set aside old grievances. Stopping the Everchosen and the Lord of the Undead is the national policy set by Your Majesty."
"True," Ryan said no more and made a concluding remark. "We must tackle things one at a time. The top priority now is to deal with Morghur, then consider other matters."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Two weeks later, in a large clearing near the Forest of Athel Loren, just outside Parravon City, the grandest banquet in the history of Bretonnia and the Wood Elves was held.
Hundreds of Grail Knights, all the dukes and marshals of Bretonnia (except for Leon), the battle-hardened veterans of the Old Guard, and an entire delegation of Damsels of the Lady were present.
On the Wood Elf side, almost all ten of the Forest Lords of Athel Loren had arrived. The Sisters of Thorn escorted Queen Alarielle to the other side of the venue, while dozens of Wood Elf princes and princesses made their appearance. This was the largest gathering of Wood Elves outside their forest in thousands of years, surpassing even the reception for the High Elf delegation.
What was particularly rare was that both humans and Wood Elves were delighted with this military alliance, each believing they had struck a great deal.
For the Wood Elves, as long as Morghur could be dealt with, the people of Athel Loren were willing to pay any price—any price at all. Queen Alarielle had even considered sacrificing herself to destroy Morghur. Over the long years, countless Wood Elves had died or gone mad due to Morghur's corruption. To eliminate Morghur once and for all, the Wood Elves were willing to do anything, regardless of the cost. Now, all they had to do was send the Twilight Sisters—not even sacrifice them, just have them serve as foreign ambassadors and personal attendants to Ryan's heir—and they would have a chance to eliminate Morghur. Wasn't that a fantastic deal?
For Ryan, having the Wood Elves join the fight against the End Times instead of staying isolated in their forests was a huge boon. Not only would it free up a significant fighting force, but it would also help defend against the Skaven and greatly compensate for the weaknesses in the army's ranged firepower. Wasn't that a very profitable deal? While Morghur might be an invincible nightmare for the Wood Elves, it was not so for Ryan. As a Grey Knight Primarch, Ryan possessed the power to suppress Morghur. All he needed to do was figure out Morghur's essence and the special abilities granted by the Chaos Gods in actual combat, then destroy and purify it.
In essence, it was just selling his son. In exchange for a large army and a pair of high-tier Saint Realm twin sisters as personal attendants, it was a very profitable deal. Ryan felt not only that he had struck gold but that Devonshire had too!
In this situation, both sides believed they had struck a fantastic deal, and everyone was happy.
As a result, everyone at the banquet was in high spirits, and for once, both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The Wood Elves sang and danced in the forest, performing war dances and magic, while singers flew among the crowd, spinning in the sky.
The Damsels of the Lady praised the holy name of the Lady of the Lake, while the Jade Wizards, led by Veronika, put on a fireworks display. The Grail Knights showcased their martial skills and strength, and artisans from various duchies displayed their traditional cultures. Of course, there were also merchants offering huge discounts and promotions, turning the event into a fiery "Double 12 Shopping Festival Carnival."
At the center of the banquet, Ryan stood in his royal blue and red silk banquet attire, wearing the Knight King's crown and a white-gold Grail cloak. To his left stood Knight Queen Sulia, and to his right stood Angron, the Primarch of the World Eaters.
"I understand the reasoning, but why is it always the pointy-ears?" Angron, who had reluctantly traded his farmer's clothes for a custom-made suit, grumbled. He hadn't wanted to come, but he couldn't miss his nephew's big day. "You, Fulgrim, Guilliman—no wonder Devonshire too. Whatever, as long as you like it."
"Haha~ Where's that little rascal Devonshire?" Ryan held a wine glass, standing tall and majestic like a mountain on the high platform at the center of the banquet. He scanned the area. "He's the star of the show today. Where is he?"
"He should be here soon," Sulia, also dressed in her finest, signaled Ryan to stay calm. "Wait a bit, don't rush, dear."
"Oh! He's here!" Angron's sharp eyes spotted his nephew, and he froze for a moment.
Amid the fireworks and song and dance, the star of the show made his entrance.
Devonshire and the Twilight Sisters walked side by side into the banquet venue.
Devonshire wore a pure white buttoned shirt with golden fleur-de-lis patterns, fitted trousers with lace cuffs, and a long velvet cloak embroidered with the Malcador family crest. His outfit was grand, dazzling, and full of life and vitality. The young Baron, radiant like a flower covering the night sky, resembled a flawless piece of jade. His face, though slightly shy, exuded nobility, grace, and innocence.
To Devonshire's left, Naestra wore a peach-colored, water-porcelain, layered, and elegant dress paired with white stockings and blue high heels. She was charming, lively, and vibrant, enjoying and exploring everything at the banquet as if it were her stage.
To his right, Aralorn wore a moonlit, frost-heart dress with black stockings and red high heels. She was cold, aloof, and proud, standing out like a plum blossom blooming in the snow. She seemed indifferent to everything, only showing a captivating smile when she looked at Devonshire.
Angron was stunned. The Primarch of the World Eaters' eyes reddened as he watched Devonshire enter the venue between the Twilight Sisters. He opened his mouth but only managed to say, "Youth, how wonderful. Even the greatest heroes grow old and weary. If only I had such treatment on Nuceria... Never mind, never mind."
With that, Angron turned around, leaving his back to Ryan and Sulia.
"Yes, when I was fifteen or sixteen, I was just a Nord bumpkin, training hard to fight the barbarians and wandering around as a squire," Ryan looked at his son, filled with emotion. He turned to Sulia, and the couple shared a smile. "He's living a better life than I did."
"The Lady said that Wood Elves are drawn to young human boys because of their vitality and purity," Sulia also gazed at her son, gently wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "By the time they reach eighteen or nineteen, most human males lose their vitality and purity due to the ravages of battle, the pressures of life, and the wear of work. Their appeal to Wood Elves diminishes greatly. But Devonshire is different."
"Don't worry, my bloodline is strong in Devonshire, as is his charm and psychic power," Ryan took Sulia's hand and stepped forward.
"Father."
"Respected Sun King." *2
Devonshire was the first to kneel on one knee, paying his respects to his great father. The Twilight Sisters instinctively looked toward Queen Alarielle in the distance. Seeing the Wood Elf Queen nod, they also knelt on one knee.
"Good, good, good. The people, the clothes, the banquet—all good," Ryan said "good" three times. The Sun King gestured for them to rise and stepped down from the platform. He raised his glass to everyone present.
"From today onward, the military alliance between Bretonnia and Athel Loren is officially established!"
"We will share the same breath and the same fate!"
"Share the same breath and the same fate!" Regardless of what everyone present truly thought, at this moment, the Knight Kingdom and the Wood Elves stood united.
A new era had arrived.
————I am the dividing line for the new era's elegant governance————
Meanwhile, in the Empire, a tragic piece of news reached Altdorf and quickly spread throughout the entire Empire.
Gunther Stahlberg, the legendary witch hunter of the Order of the Silver Hammer and a symbol of an era, was dead. His body had been thrown from a great height by a winged creature and landed on the table of the Imperial Council.
Stahlberg and the entire thousand-man regiment that had entered Sylvania for reconnaissance had been wiped out.
The last Vampire Count, Mannfred von Carstein, used this act to formally announce his return and declared that the province of Sylvania would permanently secede from the Empire.
In the past, no one would have cared about the distant Sylvania. But after reading the contents of the letter Stahlberg had hidden in his mouth, the Imperial Council immediately realized the gravity of the situation. Mannfred and his undead army had completely taken control of Sylvania.
Emperor Karl Franz was already overwhelmed by recent events. Just as he ordered Elector Count Marius of Averland and Elector Count Alberich of Stirland to strengthen their defenses, Grand Theogonist Volkmar spoke up.
"Sylvania has been Imperial territory since ancient times. We cannot tolerate such provocation! We cannot tolerate Mannfred killing our people and throwing their bodies onto our table!"
"A war, a crusade! A vampire war that has lasted for centuries and remains unresolved to this day is about to begin!" Volkmar stood up, holding the golden griffon warhammer, and roared. "I will stop Mannfred and bring the light and purification of our Lord back to Sylvania!"
"My Grand Theogonist, calm down. Hundreds of messengers have just been sent out. We must establish a defense line in the north to hold back the Chaos tide!" Karl Franz quickly advised. "The Empire is weak now. We cannot fight on two fronts! Our forces will be spread too thin!"
"By Sigmar, Karl, are you still the heir of Charlemagne?" Volkmar bellowed, his thunderous voice shaking the chandeliers on the ceiling. "How can we allow our sacred Imperial land to be occupied by darkness and the undead? I demand that a crusade be assembled immediately!"
"My Grand Theogonist, we must endure for now!" Karl Franz also stood up, unable to hold back. "We cannot fight on two fronts! Besides, Sylvania is already a dead land. Sending a large army now is not in the Empire's interest!"
"The Empire's interest? Or your personal interest, Karl?" Volkmar roared.
The Emperor's expression turned fierce. Karl Franz simply stared at Volkmar, saying nothing.
Seeing the Emperor's resolute expression, the Grand Theogonist hesitated. He knew how much Karl Franz had sacrificed for the Empire and how much he cared for his people. Since the Battle of Black Fire Pass, Karl Franz had been hailed as the greatest Emperor since Charlemagne and Ludwig the Savior.
"If you won't go, fine, Karl. You handle the north. I'll assemble a crusade!" Volkmar conceded, his voice rough. "I'll deal with Mannfred before things spiral out of control and bring victory back, returning Sylvania to the Empire."
"My Grand Theogonist! This is not the time for impulsive actions," the Emperor also relented, continuing to emphasize. "The Empire needs you now!"
"I'm not asking for your permission, Karl," Volkmar turned and walked out. "I'm just informing you."
The Grand Theogonist left the Imperial Council without looking back.
"Send out all messengers! Mobilize all the armies of the Order of the Silver Hammer across the Old World! Open the treasury and hire every mercenary we can! And deliver my letters to all the knightly orders!"
"The Sylvania Crusade has begun!"
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