Chapter 245: Act 12 – Territory (6) (First Update)
Indeed, Master Craftsman Berun was not wrong; Toniger was not rich in crystal mines.
Forging the White Lion armor requires the imprinting of the sacred wind patterns on the main joints and breastplate to reduce the overall weight of the armor and enhance agility. During this stage, the craftsmen of Erluin typically use amethyst or citrine as substitutes, both of which are highly pure magical crystals—one of the primary materials used by witches and star seers for crystal balls. In Vaunte, light purple crystals are also known as moon quartz, a type of calcite. Golan-Elsen, Anlek, and Vieiro, along with the eastern part of Rendener, are rich in these crystals, which grow densely within caves formed by water erosion between mountain hillsides; however, such natural conditions do not exist in Toniger.
Even for Brendel, Toniger was an unfamiliar territory.
The drawbridge creaked as it lowered, the chains connecting the bridge to the city gate scraping noisily across the stone tiles, and a beam of light shot through from behind the drawbridge, casting a shadow on the dark wall inside the gate. Brendel sat motionless on his horse, reflecting the blinding light emerging behind the darkness in his light brown eyes—he bit his lip, quietly watching as the drawbridge slowly descended, the gap between the bridge and the city gate growing wider. More and more light flooded in through the gap, illuminating the depths of his eyes.
Behind him was the main street of Firburh. Besides a brief address in the early morning hours to the surviving mercenaries and citizens after that night’s brutal battle, this was his first time viewing the city from the perspective of a lord—his own city, at least for now. The Baroncy of Firburh was located south of Toniger and directly governed by Grudin’s lands. The main population centers included only four areas—Firburh, the mining town of Schafflund, Gareth’s Crossing, and the eastern Port Gris—statistically counting about eighty thousand people, of which around thirty thousand lived in Firburh and its immediate surroundings. Of course, various settlements like Viridien Village were not included in the statistics, but Brendel guessed the total population of this area wouldn’t exceed one hundred thousand.
Yet, this was the most densely populated area in the Toniger region, which had approximately three hundred thousand inhabitants.
Toniger covered about one hundred seventy knightly territories, and Grudin’s directly controlled area was certainly not the only noble domain here. Among them, his vassals occupied most of the land. Brendel knew that Grudin had two top confidants, Lord Mintai and Lord Parsons, with Parsons himself a knight with a position of approximately silver rank, commanding the only regular army in this region. Brendel knew this individual was nicknamed “The Magnanimous Knight” Sharuf, and the reason he was regarded as magnanimous was that, compared to the notoriously brutal nobles in this area, Sharuf was, in fact, a harsh and conservative knight. The only reason he could maintain a good relationship with Grudin and be entrusted with important responsibilities was Brendel’s awareness of the unwavering loyalty Sharuf held toward Grudin.
Therefore, the first challenge he would likely face next was the armies of these two noble lords, who were the testing stones of Count Rendener. Only by teaching them a lesson could they make the elusive count, who preferred to remain in the shadows, more cautious.
Hence, their primary goal was to instill fear in these Grudin vassals during the upcoming battle.
The drawbridge was creaking down, and after a flash of white light, Brendel’s vision first revealed the azure sky. He looked up at the sky—from Firburh all the way to the northern Patton Wilderness, the Toniger plains between the Korkar Pass and Graham’s Mountain shared such splendid weather. This was the best period before winter arrived in the Rendener region, as the plains shimmered with golden rays. However, after the autumn harvest, temperatures would soon drop.
Consequently, the northern nobles were busily preparing for war, aiming to launch an offensive before winter set in. If delayed, the war would last well into the spring of the following year, a result neither Queen Anna nor Gluck wished to see. Especially in the Yanilasou area, the Erluin royal family’s “Lion-Dragon” fleet posed a massive threat behind Corvado, capable of changing the situation at any moment.
Currently, the black spear battalion of Siphai had entered the Lodal River line, and the remaining matter was for both sides to convince the merchants of Ampere Seale. If the queen’s top persuader succeeded among those profit-driven merchants, thousands of Siphai heavy infantry would cross the Lodal River straight to the border of Vlada—just as history had once shown.
Similarly, in the southern Toniger, the atmosphere became tense with his appearance, as the scent of war hung in the air like the sweetness of harvest, albeit tinged with a faint hint of blood.
Time moved steadily against a heavy backdrop of leaden gray.
“On the 17th, the day after the war broke out, given the communication standards of this era, a letter detailing the mercenaries’ uprising should have already reached Lord Mintai in Fortress Minst. The first batch of knights was already leaving that slate-gray castle, scattering to gather their forces,” Brendel thought silently, aware that what he could control was merely the vicinity around Firburh, while knights from the estates had long fled with the news. “After initial preparations, Lord Mintai might be able to muster two to three thousand troops—noble private soldiers, though black iron would be less than twenty percent—but for mercenaries numbering under a thousand, they would still face a tough battle.”
“Lord Mintai probably anticipates that the mercenaries will either hold firmly within Firburh or flee into the forest,” but in Brendel’s mind, the ideal battlefield would be in the hills north of Gareth’s Crossing. When the army would depart depended on the scouts’ reports. Before this, he had already dispatched a small group of Lubis mercenaries to the latter’s territory—at this moment in the Baroncy of Firburh, besides the Druids, none were more suited for the role of scouts than these experienced mercenaries.
Brendel pondered all of this silently, understanding how significant this battle felt to everyone involved.
This was not merely about the imminent dispatch of Lord Mintai’s troops, that was just a minor test—what truly concerned Brendel was the daunting push that Count Rendener might orchestrate from behind the scenes. He estimated he had about a month to arrange everything, repair defenses, and organize the territory—yet more crucial than that was establishing the mercenaries’ trust in him. Though the mercenaries in the city were currently on the same side, in the long run, they would not be able to stay in close cooperation with him forever unless they were certain he could provide them with the necessary protection.
Yuta, Crenshia, and Vurn, three prominent leaders, were not ordinary individuals; Brendel knew he could not rely solely on hopeful aspirations to retain them. This battle would be key in building such confidence.
In fact, Antinna privately believed that this battle was not only to solidify this initial group but also to announce Brendel’s legitimacy to the subjects of the Baroncy of Firburh. If the outcome of this battle met expectations, Count Rendener would slow down in his advancements, and public sentiment would naturally lean toward them.
The populace needed not only a benevolent lord but also one who could protect them.
At this time, the drawbridge had already been lowered halfway, and Brendel saw the distant red-tiled roofs within Firburh. Toniger leaned against the west bank of the Moonlit Sea, with winds from the sea carrying ample rain, leading ordinary homes to have steep roofs, and besides the pointed arch windows of the attics, eaves bore channels for directing water. Fresh green vines hung down from attic windows, contrasting vividly with the red tiles.
Light also poured in, brightening the interior of the gate, and apart from his face, the light outlined half of Brendel’s figure in the darkness while drawing the graceful curves of two beautiful maidens behind him. Xi, carrying a long spear, stood straight on her horse—her amber eyes, though deliberately maintaining a guard-like calmness, concealed a hint of youthful anticipation and excitement deep within. After all, she was an independent girl who had grown up with the Gray Wolf mercenary group in the forests of the Southlands, making her unaccustomed to the gloom of a castle.
As for Miss Elf, most of her emotions remained indifferent.
After paying slight attention to his two female companions, Brendel directed his focus forward, settling his thoughts. The drawbridge was gradually lowering before him, and more scenery began to reveal itself to him—though the street was still being cleaned, pedestrians were already present. Most shops and workshops had not opened, but the keen senses of the youths had already caught onto the suspicious, wary gazes from the windows directed toward him—the residents of the city had long noticed the commotion within Firburh; they were sizing up this somewhat illegitimate new lord.
Though Brendel had ordered Antinna to redraw the tax policies, waiving most of the taxes and eliminating past debts, this enticing action left most people doubting the feasibility of such promises. Moreover, whether he could regain a solid footing remained a question.
With a thunderous sound, dust soared as the drawbridge finally settled fully. Brendel smiled inwardly, not caring too much about the attitudes of these people, and then he saw Vurn, Yuta, and Crenshia waiting for him outside the castle—Antinna was standing beside them.
“Lord,” Crenshia, with silver hair, was the first to deeply bow his head upon seeing him. Having fought alongside Brendel, he understood better the capabilities of this young lord. Although he too worried whether Brendel could withstand the pressure from the Rendener family or might abandon them to act as scapegoats, the more worried he felt, the more respectful his demeanor became.
Yuta slightly pursed her lips, but Brendel’s composure today gave her a glimmer of admiration. She thought that this young man, akin to a killing god, indeed had a more amicable side. Only Vurn stood straight, expressionless.
“Do you know why I called for you?” Brendel inquired.
The three shook their heads.
“Lord,” Crenshia respectfully replied, “Just give your orders; we shall bold face any peril without reservation.” (To be continued. For further developments, please log on for more chapters and support the author with legitimate reading!)
