Titan King: Ascension of the Giant
Chapter 825 - 825: A Profound Stain Upon His Honor

Orion's hands roamed freely, his touch slipping beneath the layers of Lilith's gown, stoking the fires in his succubus queen.

"The younglings are your domain," he murmured against her skin. "You have sole authority over their upbringing. Should any outside force dare to interfere, I will be the one to break it."

With a powerful grace, he swept her into his arms. Lilith went willingly, burying her face in his chest with the shy devotion of a new bride as he carried her from the balcony.

The Kingdom of Man, Soaring Bird City.

When news of the Giant King's ascension to Archlord spread, Baron Torin was ecstatic. Orion's new status elevated the Stoneheart Horde to the ranks of the continent's true powers, guaranteeing the stability of its capital.

In practical terms, this meant the considerable wealth Torin had squirreled away in Stoneheart City was safe from the ravages of war or confiscation. In fact, with the Horde's continued growth, the value of the properties he had acquired there was set to multiply several times over.

So, when word arrived that Princess Ava intended to visit Soaring Bird City and stay for a time, a spark of ambition ignited within him. By their prior agreement, Torin had already pledged his allegiance to her faction; in the eyes of the city's other nobles, he was Princess Ava's man.

He had come into possession of the sword of the legendary knight Arthur—Princess Ava's former sworn shield—and with it, a claim to his knightly traditions. To further ingratiate himself with the princess, Torin went to great lengths to seek out and gather several other knights of similar renown.

In a lavish palace near Ava's own residence, the princess hosted a banquet. In attendance were six individuals who all carried the legacy of a great knightly order: Torin, Garrett, Lambert, Godfrey, and two others, Drustan and Klythia.

Ava raised her goblet. The candlelight danced within the wine, casting a deep, thoughtful glow upon her refined features.

"With courage and fealty, I pledge my life to the protection of my Princess. I shall uphold honor, loyalty, and justice, and be tempted by neither avarice nor power. I shall, with all my strength, protect the interests of my Princess."

The words hung in the air, a perfect recitation of the oath Arthur had sworn when he first joined the Order of the Rose and pledged himself to her service. He had kept that oath to his dying breath. It was a memory Ava held as a great honor, and she was fiercely proud to have had guardians like Arthur and Galahad.

"My lords, my lady," she said, her gaze sweeping across them all. "I welcome you, and I thank you from my heart for coming. We are gathered not only to share this feast, but to celebrate the reunion of this noble fellowship."

Of the fabled Eight Great Knights, six were present at this table. Including the fallen Galahad, she had nearly brought the entire legendary order back together. Though this gathering had been Torin's idea, she had not refused it. Ava knew, with absolute clarity, that she needed a formidable power at her back. If not for herself, then for the future of her son, Kronos.

"I hope this banquet will allow us all to become acquainted. I am certain every knight here has a tale of their own worth sharing. But before that, let us raise our glasses together and celebrate this wonderful moment!"

With Princess Ava's opening words, the atmosphere in the hall warmed. The knights began to converse, sizing one another up between pleasantries. The most animated of them was the lady knight, Klythia, who quickly drew close to Ava. As women, they found they had much to discuss.

"Your Highness, believe me, I will be the strongest shield in our Order of the Rose!" Klythia declared. She was a shield-maiden whose physique was as deceptively delicate as her name was lovely. Unlike most who wielded a tower shield, Klythia possessed a slender frame more akin to a court maiden's than a warrior's, yet her finely toned arms held a promise of explosive strength.

"I have faith in every knight here," Ava replied with a warm smile. Klythia's eager pledge alone made the journey to Soaring Bird City worthwhile.

Beside Klythia sat Drustan, a dual-blade knight who remained masked and silent. His withdrawn nature stood in stark contrast to the rest, but fortunately, the polished charm of nobles like Torin and Lambert kept the conversation flowing, maintaining a harmonious atmosphere throughout the feast.

Ava did not speak of any serious business that night, but every knight at the table knew the true purpose of their assembly. From the beginning of the banquet to the end, as her guests finally rose to depart, a gentle, unwavering smile never left her face.

After the last guest had gone, Ava stood by a window, gazing out at Soaring Bird City. It had grown much more prosperous in the three years since she had last seen it, its outer walls having been expanded several times.

"Can the knights be united?" she asked quietly, the question directed not to the city, but to Lambert and Garrett, who had remained behind. She was asking if the others could be brought to heel, to serve her cause.

It was Lambert who answered. Garrett, as usual, was silent. "Aside from Lady Klythia, the loyalties of the others are not yet certain, Your Highness."

"And Sir Drustan? What are his thoughts?" Ava asked, her gaze still fixed on the city lights.

"Drustan says he is a wanderer. He is not accustomed to being bound by oaths, nor does he wish to be." Lambert sounded regretful. The knights of this age held the old codes in high regard, and this fierce independence would make it difficult to draw Drustan fully into the Order of the Rose.

"And the others?"

Lambert looked at the princess's back, gathered his thoughts, and then spoke with the candor of a man putting his full trust in his liege.

"Your Highness, I believe we can win over both Sir Drustan and Sir Godfrey. We can offer Sir Drustan certain privileges, an exception to accommodate his desire for freedom. Sir Godfrey has long been an ally, but he hesitates because he has an entire mercenary company that depends on him. If we can alleviate that burden, I believe he will join us. I support any effort Your Highness makes to recruit these two."

As a knight and a noble both, Lambert had thrown his lot in completely with Princess Ava. This was advice from the heart.

"However," he continued, his tone hardening, "as for Baron Torin, I hope Your Highness will harbor no illusions. I have three reasons for this."

"First, his claim to Arthur's legacy is suspect. The full truth of how he came by it is unclear."

"Second, his ambition is boundless, and it is well known that his wealth is bolstered by the slave trade. For a man who calls himself a knight, this is a profound stain upon his honor."

"Third… I fear he gathered us tonight not for your sake, but for reasons that serve only himself."

Lambert had more dealings with Torin than anyone. As a fellow noble, he understood Torin's maneuvering. But as a knight, he saw a man whose actions had long ago crossed a sacred line.

A man who was dangerous.