Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 348 - 348 169 Going to Archers Castle_2

348: Chapter 169 Going to Archers Castle_2 348: Chapter 169 Going to Archers Castle_2 Although nobles generally don’t get engaged so quickly, Azeryan and Raya’s situation was special, so their swift engagement was quite normal.

Both had suffered hardships, and if they could find solace in each other’s company, there seemed to be no need to unnecessarily delay matters.

Leon rubbed his chin, as he, too, had no intention of dragging it out with Olivia; he just hadn’t decided on a memorable day yet.

“Getting married at the end of the year?

Haha—that’s congratulations in order for you!

We must hold a grand celebration in the territory!

We’ll definitely make Ascension Day festive,” Lokhak said, offering his brotherly wishes.

As he spoke, he turned to Leon: “What about you?

Leon, have you and Olivia not set a date for your wedding?

Originally you were first, and now Azeryan is going to beat you to it.”

Leon helplessly asked him in return, “Why don’t you hurry up and worry about yourself instead?

Out of all of us, aside from Kovis, who’s young enough to wait, you’re the only one without a partner.”

Hearing this, Lokhak scratched his face and sighed in dejection: “I wish that weren’t so.

In the blink of an eye, all of you have found partners…perhaps, I’m just not likable…”

“You’re not bad-looking, and our statuses have changed for the better; the problem is probably that your standards are too high,” Leon shook his head.

His brother was a young and brave Knight Lord—how could he not be popular with the ladies?

If he openly sought a courtship, surely the various noble families would be willing to marry their daughters to such a promising young lord.

Azeryan, hearing this, thoughtfully cocked his head and asked Lokhak in a low voice, “Are you…

perhaps fond of Miss Sally?”

“Ah?

Ah!

No.!..

I’m not, I haven’t!”

Lokhak’s face turned red, his body instinctively leaned back as he waved his hands in denial.

Seeing his unwittingly self-revealing reaction, Leon and Azeryan figured it was a near certainty.

Upon reflection, it did seem that Lokhak showed some interest on a normal basis.

Leon frequently saw Lokhak, while Lady Vanessa and Miss Sally were teaching the ladies and children of the house to dance, awkwardly approaching the petite Seryan noble girl for dance lessons.

But…

the difference in their physiques…?

Leon looked at his brother’s towering, fridge-like, over two-meter figure.

And then thought of Miss Sally, even smaller and more delicate compared to Olivia.

A hamster eating melon…

Pfft, Leon quickly slapped his forehead, forcing out the inappropriate meme that had suddenly surfaced from the internet of his past life.

Lokhak, meanwhile, had given up hiding under Azeryan’s teasing.

He sighed disheartenedly, “I like Miss Sally, but…

I’m not eloquent like you two, I don’t know how to charm the girl I like, and besides, it seems Miss Sally is quite afraid of me…

I also fear being too forward might scare her.”

Lokhak looked down at his muscular, bear-like body, for the first time troubled by his physique and muscles, which he had always taken pride in.

“Don’t lose heart, we’ve got plenty of time.

When things calm down, Azeryan and I will figure out a way to create an opportunity for you, like arranging a dance or something.

You should really learn to dance well, so you can show Miss Sally that this fierce tiger can indeed gently sniff at roses…” Leon joked.

The fully armed group continued their journey on the forest trail, talking and laughing easily, progressing neither quickly nor slowly.

After repeated expansions, what was once a temporary path had now been turned into a wide road, almost as wide as the ancient forest pathway.

Even a sizable army could march on it without difficulty.

Occasionally, they would see a few cavalry on patrol passing by on horseback.

Stepping onto the ancient forest road, Leon noticed a newly built branch joining the main road halfway—that must be the path the Gunnar Family had constructed, leading to the Wolf Territory.

The hundred or so people, traveling at the pace of the infantry, only managed to reach Avalon Castle, the transit station, as the sun set.

This time, Leon was quite surprised by the scene before him.

Even under the hazy moonlight, he could make out the outlines of the sprawling settlement houses outside Avalon Fortress.

Some were built in the form of military supply camps with outer walls, likely resting places for passing troops, while others clearly looked like residential housing, with surrounding fields seemingly under development.

In these two months, the area outside the walls of Avalon Castle Town, relying on the meandering riverside land, had already taken on the appearance of a sizable town.

The group checked in with the Sentinels and slowly entered the town.

After speaking with the Thorny Flower Knights stationed in Avalon, Leon learned that now, in addition to the Farolis Army garrisoned within the city and the Kingdom Army that came and went, Baron Eriv had also relocated more than eight hundred Subjects to the outskirts, serving as the foundational workforce for developing the Avalon region.

It was said that the soil quality within Nightmare Forest, after a preliminary survey, appeared to be exceptionally fertile, ready for cultivation with minimal preparation.

And the rivers outside Avalon, or rather, all the rivers within the bounds of Nightmare Forest, were so crystal clear they seemed like divine gifts.

Though somewhat eerie in their lack of fish and shrimp, after attempts to give the water to livestock revealed no issues, people who drank it were amazed by the sweet and pure water quality.

It was simply like the legendary lands of milk and honey; if it weren’t for the war effort in the south, the Thorns Flower family would have moved more than just a handful of people to develop the area.

Leon felt envious.

He could only hope that after the upcoming ennoblement ceremony, Lord Eriv, in recognition of his great contributions, would also allocate him a good piece of Nightmare Forest.

With too many eyes around, Leon didn’t visit Lola at the Mage Tower for a private meeting this time, thinking that since he would pass by again on his return, he retired early with the others to rest.

The next day, the troops assembled early and set off, passing through several forested outposts and encampments along the strategic road opened by the Thorny Flower Family, and by evening, Leon saw the vast expanse of land outside the forest, as well as the enormous military encampment built along the southern side of the forest.

This was no longer a camp exclusive to the Thorns Flower family; numerous bright banners and elaborate robes of the Kingdom Army were stationed at the first stronghold on their march south towards Kantadar.

Having had the fortune to meet many noble Lords leading their troops, Leon could barely recognize many of the fluttering emblems on the flags in front of the tents.

The Farolis Family’s emblem went without saying, and there were even flags of the Wolf Family, with a dizzying array of crests from various counties of Gray Robe Valley, and many unfamiliar family emblems that Leon guessed probably belonged to the armies of Great Vestra.

After another night’s stay, the Thorny Flower Army at the encampment sent a cavalry escort, and it wasn’t until the afternoon of the next day that the group finally arrived at Archers Castle.

Upon entering the city gates, this Kantadar City, besides being somewhat more grandiose in scale, gave Leon a similar feeling to Farolis City.

Of course, the city’s inhabitants could hardly be expected to welcome the foreign army that had taken their city.

Walking along the streets patrolled by a large number of Soldiers, Leon could only sense the fearful glances of the Kantadar citizens from behind the doors and windows of the alleys.

This made Leon involuntarily think of certain European films from his past life, where assassins sprung from nooks and crannies to assassinate the victorious leaders.

However, these fantasies ultimately did not come to pass; Archers City, already host to several thousand main forces, was strictly controlled by the Thorns Flower family in every corner.

Along with the thousands of Orland Army troops stationed around Archers Castle, no reckless individual eager for death had yet appeared on this suddenly changed piece of land.

“Lucky for these people,” Lokhak muttered, looking at the houses of Kantadar citizens and recalling the dire state of Rolannar, grumbling enviously, “Why can the army of Lord Eriv occupy their city so peacefully, when Holy Land City had to suffer such calamity!”

Although he had also met good people from Kantadar like Larian, the sight stirred feelings of anger in his heart that rationality couldn’t easily quench.

Azeryan now seemed much calmer as he analyzed, “Lord Eriv’s army took this city easily without much resistance, which is one reason.

More importantly, there are only twenty thousand people in this city, not difficult for the Thorns Flower family to control.

Rolannar, on the other hand…

had a population of several hundred thousand.

Furthermore, when attacking Rolannar, the Kantadar people employed a large number of mercenaries, not just the half-soldier, half-bandit Kantadar mercenary groups, but also the even more savage Urian nomads from the south.

They had neither the ability nor the interest in ruling over Seryan lands; pillaging and criminal acts were part of the rewards promised by the Kantadar Kingdom…”