Knight with Wand

The door was closed, and guards wearing sword-wing crests were guarding the outside.

Summoning his companions to gather around the table, Leon spread out the parchment map on the big table and pointed his finger at a location on the border of the barony, southwest of Farolis City, west of Platon, and north of Longcai.

There was originally just a blank space, but now, Leon has redrawn a small triangle and marked it with the name "Wachter".

"There is a small fortress here that Baron Earliver completed the year before last. It is the outpost of the city of Faloris to defend against the Wolf Territory. Currently, two hundred soldiers are stationed under Sir Marcelo. They will send people to Lonca in a few days to contact us.

Lohark, when you arrive, take someone to Fort Wachter and record the route. If we are attacked, our north and south can support each other. "Leon ordered his partner.

"Understood, leave it to me." Lohark nodded in agreement.

"Azerion, you return to Selva today, suspend the military camp construction, and summon all craftsmen and Selva laborers to reinforce Lonka. We must establish sufficient defense measures before the threat arrives."

After instructing their two partners on their mission, Leon and Old Brian discussed the terrain around Lonka and discussed tactical plans for attacks from all directions.

Most of the tactics were planned by this old knight who claimed to have leadership experience, and several young people listened quietly.

Leon only recalled the historical battles he had seen in his previous life, and occasionally made some suggestions to Old Brian. He did not have many doubts about his professionalism as a centurion.

Wooden walls, arrow towers, fences, trenches, and horse-proof stakes. Leon dare not talk about the details of how to arrange fortifications on paper. The scale of possible conflicts in the future may not be large, but it is also related to the wealth of thousands of surrounding people. Safety.

If Gunnar's army rushes into Farolis' territory, even if the Lang family does not go out of their way to massacre the people, the size of the army is there after all. The harm caused by the plundering and the resulting casualties among the people in the territory will definitely be Far more than the number of people killed in Selva.

The long military meeting ended and everyone dispersed to carry out their respective tasks.

The atmosphere in Longka suddenly became tense and solemn. All the villagers were mobilized by duty, all the men stayed behind, and the disabled young women and children evacuated Longka and headed to Selva.

Leon patrolled the terrain around Lonka, looking for where the enemy was most likely to advance, and also looking for any hiding places where he could set up an ambush.

Standing high on the hills in the northwest, Leon looked at the wilderness in the direction of the wolf leader. He turned his head and noticed that the eyes of the girl beside him were full of worry.

"You have many questions, Olivia." Leon came to the other party.

The girl put away her distant gaze and looked back at the lover in front of her.

"Leon, even if we return the villagers to the Gunnar family and explain the origins of the undead, won't we be able to resolve the misunderstanding and resolve the possible bloody conflict?" Olivia asked hesitantly.

Leon shook his head at her regretfully: "Those villagers are not the real conflict between Gunnar and Farolis. They are just the introduction that happened to happen at the beginning of the dispute between the two lords. For the two lords, , they are no longer important.

But if we explain to the Gunnar family where those ancient undead came from, try to resolve the so-called misunderstanding, let them detect the strange phenomena in the nightmare forest, and even discover the truth about the disappearance of the cursed land."

He sighed helplessly and looked towards the forest to the south: "The small conflict that may occur now will really turn into a bloody battle for unclaimed territory."

Leon pointed to Olivia in the general direction of Avalon Castle, and carefully explained to his lover: "Do you know where the forest city that I took you to more than a month ago is?

Just south of the Gunnar family's territory today, such a key location can not only serve as the base for Baron Earliver's southward expansion, but also a pass that can contain the Gunnar family in the future.

With the hatred and conflicts between the Wolf family and the Thornflower family, the Gray Wolf Baron will not let our Lord Earliver expand southward to revive the family, let alone miss the opportunity to obtain the Nightmare Forest or even the enemy's territory to the south. "

Leon saw the complex expression on Olivia's pretty face and was lost in thought, so he raised his hand and rubbed the girl's blond hair, and warned: "Baron Earliver is facing the situation of being watched by evil neighbors. He must revive and find a way for the family. As for the way out, Baron Gunnar has been eyeing the Thorn Flower for many years and wants to annex the territory. The conflicts between them are irreconcilable.

Now that I am a vassal of Faloris, I naturally have the safety and interests of those under my rule and the Thorn Flower Collar as my top priority.

Olivia, when the wolf leader's army attacks, they will not be any more merciful than the Kantardar people. You must not hesitate to raise your sword in the face of danger. "

"I will definitely protect everyone and the people with all my strength, Leon, but..."

Olivia asked gloomily: "Obviously they are all from Orlander, why can't those big shots unite and work together to defeat the foreign enemies in the south? Are they so obsessed with fighting each other?"

Leon looked at the innocent girl who was still confused, felt affection in his heart, and couldn't help but hold her in his arms.

The confused Olivia did not resist her lover's embrace, but closed her eyes peacefully, turned her head to Leon's chest, and listened to the other person's strong heartbeat.

Leon understands that during the sixteen years that Old Brian raised Olivia in a corner like Selva, he taught the girl martial arts self-defense, taught her proper etiquette, and even guided her Values ​​walk the path of integrity and kindness.

But he didn't have time to let the girl understand the complex and simple disputes between the noble lords.

Especially considering her true royal identity, Old Brian has obviously always instilled the macro concept of "Orland" from the perspective of the royal family into the girl.

But many lords of the Northern Kingdom must have completely different views from the girl's current ones.

".Olivia, in your opinion, the Kantardars are foreign enemies.

But in the eyes of Baron Gunnar from the 'Farayel Territory', I'm afraid that the entire 'Gray Fir Valley Territory', except for the royal party allies, are foreign enemies." Leon explained: "The lords of the Kingdom of Orland are far from being as close as family."

He has already learned from Old Brian and a certain "historical" figure, and now he knows more about the history and current situation of Orland than Olivia, who has lived in the village of Selva for a long time.

The various territories of the Northern Kingdom today, including the Crown of Kronia, Ostania, Loman, Garsom, Bleden, Great West, Farayer, and Gray Fir Valley, have changed greatly from the ancient times.

But in the history of more than 600 years ago, there were several different northern kingdoms outside the Crown of Kronia.

Until the Drakmar family, which ruled Kronia, made the northern countries succumb to the black dragon flag through the efforts of several generations of kings, and established "Orland".

The establishment process of the Northern Kingdom was not a thorough unification like the Qin Dynasty sweeping the world and the Han Dynasty ruling the world in Leon's memory.

Orland did dismantle those small kingdoms with a powerful military force.

But the dismembered areas still had to retain or give birth to new great lords due to various political and practical reasons.

Some were enfeoffed because they helped Orland during the unification process.

Some of them are difficult to conquer completely and the cost is too high, so they can only compromise with certain interests in exchange for the nominal submission of those powerful forces.

Now, after 600 years of changes, the two great nobles in the Kingdom of Orland are the most powerful, "Duke of Tymerien and Bomya" and "Duke of Westral".

In addition, the various lords of the Farayel District in the west and the Bleden District in the far north actually maintain a delicate relationship with the Orland royal family, where they listen to orders but not declarations.

".If you want all the lords in the north to unite as you wish, I'm afraid there are only two ways in the current era." Leon finished explaining the general situation in the north to the girl, and also expressed his simple personal opinion: "Either there are big enough interests or threats to make the lords across the country know that only unity can fight for and maintain their own interests and security.

Or, the kingdom will have a few more generations of wise and powerful rulers, and find ways to eliminate those nobles who are too independent.

It would be best if there were no more great lords in the country, so that the royal power of Orlando would completely override everyone and establish an order that could not be questioned or violated.

In this way, after a hundred years, the concept of Orlando may be truly rooted in the hearts of the lords and the people. At that time, the small nobles would obey the only order, and the internal struggle should be much more restrained than it is now."

Of course, Leon did not elaborate on it to the girl. It was useless to talk too far. In his opinion, as long as the form of the feudal state did not change and the times did not continue to progress, this would only be a temporary solution.

Once the monarchy declines in the era of strife, the small lords still have the opportunity to grow in the chaos, and then another circle of history will repeat.

Moreover, even a truly unified empire can still fall into a dark age of chaos and near collapse due to internal strife, not to mention this feudal kingdom with many lords.

Of course, fortunately, there are not many complicated foreign races in the land of Orland except the Norse people in the north, which at least ensures that there is a lower limit to the chaos no matter how chaotic it is.

The Feru people who speak the same language and use the same writing do not need to kill each other. This may also be an important factor that Orland was able to rule the north relatively easily more than 600 years ago.

"Leon, I think I understand. Thank you, you still know so much as always."

Olivia understood ignorantly, silently digesting the words of her lover in her head.

Leon smiled awkwardly, just reciting the historical examples in his memory.

But to be honest, he didn't care much about whether Orland could achieve substantive unification of the country in the future.

He is not from Orland, not even from Serrian, let alone from Feru.

He is a soul from outside the domain, and he only hopes that he, his friends, and the people he can protect can eat and drink well and not suffer from disasters, and everything will be fine.

Leon touched the head of the girl in his arms and sighed in his heart.

In fact, there was really an ambitious person who wanted to integrate the various territories of the kingdom into one and achieve the great cause of substantial unification.

That was Olivia's biological father.

He ruled for ten years and tried to reduce the territories and centralize power bit by bit, but he made a wrong step and triggered a civil war, until his cousin, the current king, led the rebel army to attack the capital and was overthrown.

Not only did he die and his politics disappeared, but he was also accused of various crimes and was branded as a "tyrant" and passed down to the world.

Leon felt a little sorry for the real father-in-law whom he had never met.

At least from the mouth of old Brian, the former king was not a cruel tyrant as the current rumors said.

But for the people who had no chance to see the king, and those who had never experienced the era of the previous king, the deceased could not speak up to argue for himself.

What's more, he does have the only "crime" that is irrefutable to ordinary people.

Leon thought of this and hugged Olivia tighter.

But anyway, it's all over.

Although Olivia didn't know the inside story, she probably wouldn't be interested in the throne even if she knew.

Leon had no intention of borrowing the girl's blood to get his hands on the throne of Orland.

After repaying Miss Laura's kindness, he can be a little lord with peace of mind, holding Olivia in his arms every day, having a wife and children on the hot bed every day, having friends and drinking and eating meat every day, he will be very satisfied.

The main defense fortification of Lonka that Old Brian planned to set up consisted of one high, two short, and three wooden walls.

A circle of high walls separated a fireproof distance and surrounded the village's homestead and arrow tower. This would be Lonka's last defensive stronghold.

The other two low walls are centered on Lonka, one to the east and one to the west, and are built far away from the high wall, forming a redundant deep site.

The low wall will be combined with trench traps, extending from the river in the north of the village to the woodland in the south, turning the small village into a simple pass that blocks the path.

The deep area between the high wall and the low wall will be divided into several areas by trenches and horse-rejecting stakes, which can effectively prevent the cavalry.

Of course, generally no cavalry commander would be stupid enough to directly attack such a targeted defense facility head-on.

If a battle breaks out, these things can only be used as auxiliary means to cooperate with our own infantry to delay the enemy and slow down the enemy's offensive efficiency.

It will take a lot of time to remove these obstacles that hinder the formation's progress.

If the invading enemy has fewer troops than our own, then the enemy may not dare to attack such fortifications head-on.

And if there are far more enemies than ourselves,

Unless you are really unable to defeat them, you can only choose to retreat. Otherwise.

Leon stood on the top of Longka's newly built arrow tower, looking left and right at the north and south sides.

Woodland and riverside terrain.

It is the key that truly determines victory or defeat.

Of course, the premise is that one's own front will not be directly crushed by the enemy from the front.

Otherwise, they can only run away and retreat to Selva to defend.

Leon looked back to the east.

The women and children who had evacuated their families to the rear would work with local women and children and part of the labor force to build a similar defense on the northern slope of Sevar.

Leon hoped he would never have to use Selva's fortifications.

He also hoped that Lonka's fortifications would not be used.

The enemy had better be stupid enough to directly attack Fort Wachter where Marcelo Knight is stationed.

Even if he attacks the city of Farolis, which has a solid wall, thank God, he can directly join Marcelo's troops and easily close the door and beat the "dog".

In his heart, he hoped that his opponent would not choose Lonka as his target. With his good eyesight, Leon suddenly saw a team carrying long and short weapons appearing at the end of the eastern field of vision.

Of course, that was not the enemy who had bypassed the Longka Pass. Look at the swallow-tailed flag of the Thorn Flower Family and the familiar figure in the lead. This was Azarian who had returned to Selva earlier to dispatch reinforcements.

Just watching, the reinforcements arriving were getting closer and closer. After estimating the number of people, Leon found that the number of people was twice as many as expected, even if not counting the baggage convoy behind.

He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, wondering where Azerien had brought him another phalanx of troops.

Leon turned around and climbed down from the arrow tower, preparing to greet his companions immediately, but when he reached the center of the village, he saw Corvis running from the big house.

"My lord!" the blond boy shouted hurriedly.

Leon had no choice but to walk over: "What's wrong? Are you in such a hurry?"

Corvis ran to his master and smiled helplessly: "The gryphon egg has broken."