Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 546 - 546 262 The Knight Order Sets Out

546: Chapter 262: The Knight Order Sets Out 546: Chapter 262: The Knight Order Sets Out Riding on Kovis’ Stormhawk, Leon hurriedly returned to Avalon from Leding Castle.

Leon went to the inner city’s Griffin pen before the expedition set off to visit Death Claw, who had yet to recover from its severe injuries, one last time.

The giant beast, lying in the pen fast asleep, let out an affectionate “Wu Wu” sound with its majestic beak when it saw its familiar companion and immediately leaned in to nuzzle against Leon’s body.

Leon hugged the gigantic eagle head and stroked it for a while before finally letting go of this increasingly affectionate creature with age.

Death Claw, with its severely injured wings, still couldn’t fly and was unable to return to its Griffin Nest Tower.

It could only stay in the newly built wooden shed at the base of the tower to recuperate.

After a period of recovery, it at least appeared much more spirited than before.

As expected of a masterpiece from the Pope of the ancient era, as long as it had sufficient food, injuries deadly to ordinary animals would gradually heal thanks to the Griffin’s extraordinary Life Force.

A crisp cry sounded from nearby, drawing Leon’s gaze to Little Gede, who had been nestled tightly in its mother’s embrace but now flapped its wings as it was startled awake by the commotion.

Perhaps it was time to drop the “Little” from Little Gede’s name.

Although this Griffin cub was only seven months old, it had already grown to the size of a nearly adult male lion and had long since learned to fly.

And ever since it had learned to fly, this little one hadn’t had a single idle day, frolicking in Avalon’s skies and roaming around the castle’s surroundings daily.

Now, the people of the domain were no longer surprised by this friendly and majestic magical beast.

Leon didn’t bother to restrain it.

For one, Griffins were intelligent enough not to get lost or wander astray; for another, the people of the domain were well aware of “His Highness Death Claw” and “His Highness Gede,” treating them as auspicious beasts guarding Avalon.

As winged and flying “lions,” ordinary townsfolk were hardly a threat to them.

Besides, Griffins were extremely clever.

Gede, having grown up under their care, could already understand human speech and read human writing.

In terms of cultural knowledge, it surpassed even its pure-hearted and untainted mother, who had never been “polluted” by formal education.

Although it couldn’t carry humans yet, even if Little Gede were to return alone to the wild, it was already a formidable terrestrial-aerial amphibious beast capable of living on its own.

But whether Gede would willingly forgo the pampered life of eating and sleeping in Avalon to become a “Wild Griffin” again was uncertain.

After all, life in Avalon, cared for by humans, imposed no restrictions on its freedom.

To Gede, everyone in Avalon was its family.

Especially Kovis, who to Gede was practically another “Mom.” Of course, Kovis always insisted that Little Gede thought of him as its father.

Leon, in a rare lighthearted moment, held Little Gede, now quite large, and playfully wrestled with it for a while before getting up from Death Claw’s side.

Reluctantly, he gave Gede’s chubby tummy one last rub and bid farewell to the Griffin mother and child.

This time, it was unthinkable for Leon to take a mere seven-month-old Griffin cub on the expedition.

Even though this young Griffin already possessed strength far exceeding that of ordinary wild beasts, it was still ultimately too vulnerable for a perilous battlefield.

It was better to leave it in Avalon to act as a little sheriff, assisting Uncle Brian in defending the domain and protecting Death Claw.

“Stay home, protect your mother, and wait for us obediently.”

Leon waved at Gede, who obediently curled up by Death Claw’s side, then left the pen and shed.

If only the three Horror Mountain Bear cubs locked in the back mountains would grow up to be just as intelligent, obedient, and affectionate.

Unfortunately, that was wishful thinking.

Leon headed off to fulfill the terms of his contract.

He exited the fortress through the castle’s side gate, arriving at the cave on the back mountain where the Horror Mountain Bear cubs were temporarily being kept.

The entrance to the cave had already been sealed with sturdy iron bars by Azeryan’s orders, leaving only a small door secured with a chain lock.

Currently, two squads of soldiers took turns cleaning and guarding the cave daily.

In their downtime, a few soldiers were sitting on rocks playing card games, while one stood at the cave’s entrance, teasing a bear cub through the bars with his spear handle as if it were a cat toy.

“…Lord!”

Startled by the unexpected arrival of their lord, the guards watching over the bear cave quickly stood up and saluted awkwardly.

Hearing the commotion behind him, the soldier teasing the cub immediately withdrew his long spear and straightened up.

Leon waved with a smile, not blaming them for slacking off.

Standing guard in such a secluded spot, watching over three bear cubs all day, who wouldn’t get bored over time?

“You can return to the castle.

Come back after I leave.”

Leon temporarily sent the soldiers away from the back mountain.

After the soldiers departed, Leon pulled out a black card from his waist pouch.

The face of the black Netti Card depicted a ferocious giant bear emerging from nighttime shadows.

Its stance was savage, its gaping maw bristling with bloodstained fangs.

Around the Horror Mountain Bear were hundreds of panicked or fighting Wolf Family warriors.

…Monster Card, Horror Mountain Bear·Callisto.

Turning the card over, its back was marked with the gray-wing red-sword emblem exclusive to Pendragon.

Leon wasn’t sure what caused it, but the summoning ritual for this Netti Card seemed to have aligned the spirit of the Horror Mountain Bear with his faction, perhaps because the magic lacked a concept for neutral creatures.

Seizing the moment when no one was watching, Leon infused the card with Magic Power, activating the Monster Card in his hand.

The Netti Card dissolved into swirling particles of light, a surge of tremendous Magic Power whipping up a gale as it reconstructed the form of the colossal beast.