The thick oak doors of the Red Copper Fortress opened outward, and the knights emerged at the end of the road.

Horses neighed, and between vine-bound fences, a river of golden iron flowed distinctly through the yellow wheat fields.

Fifty decree-level temple knights, fifty squire-level temple knights walked at the forefront.

The hot monsoon from the Jade Sea stirred dozens of flags with floral gold edges.

On the desert-colored flags, sharp-toothed giant eagles seemed to soar in flocks under the azure skies.

These toothy giant eagles are creatures only found in the southern desert of the Royal Court, similar to the giant spiders of the Thousand River Valley, the slimes of Black Snake Bay, and the golden sheep of the Shattered Stone Plain.

Their name also serves as the title of the tall knight under the flag, this Miseria believer born in the Royal Court but fled to the Empire — Sand Sculpture Knight Nidesar.

Nigesar is a human sand aristocrat from the Royal Court, even a tax collector in a region.

He fled to the Empire, bringing not only himself but also hundreds of the Royal Court's best javelin cavalry — Nikosak Cavalry.

Cossack, in the southern Ayr dialect, means free people, meaning these Nikosaks also came from commoner backgrounds.

These purple-bronze-skinned people of the Royal Court wore scaly armor, with sunk eyes under their dark red turbans.

Unlike the Imperial people who favored mutton chops and goatees, these Royal Court people preferred to shave their chins, sideburns, and neck hair clean, leaving only a short hard black mustache on the upper lip.

Riding on the red-eyed, curled-eared horses unique to the Royal Court, they drove the carts along the road ahead.

On the bumpy dirt road, the cart wheels continually bounced up and down.

The skulls packed in the cart bed swayed precariously, almost tumbling from the pyramid of heads.

Under the glaring sun, metal flashed with a blinding light, making Zelaken squint by the castle edge.

"Ah! Lord Nidesar, it's so good to see you return victorious." Zelaken said sincerely.

"Shouldn't I return victorious? The Secret Faction of Black Snake Bay only plays tricks." Nidesar seemed a bit indifferent to Zelaken's enthusiasm, "Compared to the mages from the Royal Court, they're in a completely different league."

Unlike the Empire where spellcasters are called wizards with a somewhat derogatory connotation, the Royal Court uses the relatively neutral term mage.

For Nidesar, who often dealt with mages, learning how to counter magic with cavalry was a necessary task for a Royal Court tax collector.

This time, assisting the demon hunters of Wolf Castle to eradicate the Secret Faction, his harvest was quite rich.

For some reason, this year's Secret Faction, compared to previous years, was lacking in manpower and weapons.

Though several great mages used the fireball technique, their casting speed was too slow, only able to execute ambushes.

Once aware, Nidesar swiftly led the javelin cavalry forward.

Those precious fireball technique mages were caught off guard, pierced through by a round of javelin shots.

In the end, he even wiped out a small headquarters of the Secret Faction, capturing over a hundred mage prisoners of war.

However, these are not his main concern; his main focus is rather on the northern Kush Territory.

Those Salvation Army forces in Joan of Arc Castle, those peasant rebels are his primary concern.

The main reason is those peasant rebels were actually able to defeat the decree regiment.

Though the decree regiment has suffered defeats and even annihilations before, typically at the hands of noble extraordinary knights.

For the decree regiment to be defeated by peasant rebels, it's a situation never before occurred in a millennium, with a political significance far greater than military.

"Was the decree regiment truly defeated by those peasant rebels?" Nidesar asked Zelaken, after casually tossing his leather gloves onto the face of the attendant.

As Nidesar's secretary, Zelaken wiped his forehead sweat with a handkerchief: "That's what I heard, but I'm sure they used some trick; you know they have a witch in their ranks."

Nidesar grinned, revealing his blood-streaked white teeth under his black-red lips, unclear whether mocking or excited:

"It's not like I haven't killed witches before, the Empire's cavalry tactics are too rigid... Did the Church send any letters while I was away?"

"Your wisdom is truly terrifying." Zelaken, his white-powdered face streaked with sweat, "The Church did indeed send letters."

"Read them to me."

Despite being appointed as a titled knight, unlike most knights, Nidesar is not literate and relies only on listening.

In this era devoid of confidentiality awareness, Nidesar and Zelaken stood in the castle gate openly.

Zelaken read aloud Banifus's private letter amidst the rolling wheels and the resentful stares of captured mages.

"Behave!" A Nikosak harshly whipped a mage prisoner on the back with a heavy accent.

The prisoner's expression instantly became twisted; he bit his lips not to cry out, continuing to follow the cart slowly.

Under the wheat stalks in the wheat fields, the hats gleamed with the sheen of sweat in the sun.

Occasionally, the farmers would lift their heads, watching the two discussing nobles, unsure of what they talked about.

Yet they dared not inquire, lowering their heads to continue their labor.

"Can Banifus assist me in securing the Temple Knight Commander for the whole Thousand River Valley?" Hearing the letter's details, Nidesar pulled the sweaty Zelaken along, "Can he, a bishop not from a Metropolitan See, wield such influence?"

Zelaken walked through the long corridor of the gate tunnel, the gloomy path formed by black stones was the coolest place during the nearing summer season.

"I think someone with such influence isn't him, but Prince Kongdai." Zelaken analyzed as they walked, "Currently, the Leia Kingdom is in disorder, everyone views Prince Kongdai as the biggest variable, both courting and fearing him.

I dare say, if Prince Kongdai reaches out with an olive branch to any side, he would face the insanity of the opposing side.

He initially isn't close with any side, if he helps someone win, there's nothing to award or reward him, even suspecting he has designs on the throne.

If he loses, he would lose everything now, might even return to the border.

Prince Kongdai has recently been pushing for a three-year tax collection authority for the Thousand River Valley, under the pretense of preserving his decree troops to handle external threats if civil war is inevitable..."

Nidesar stopped unknowingly, frowning, with diffused sunlight slanting down from the gate tunnel.

"Does he want to become the prince of the Thousand River Valley?"

"Probably."

Prince Kongdai's fief, Kongdai Territory, is actually quite small; he has a high title but a small fief, entirely reliant on the Pope and the Royal Family for support.

His sudden shift towards remaining in the Thousand River Valley largely stems from the unexpected death of the Pope.

The Church's internal chaos and the Royal Family's internal conflict, his economic situation can't hold up, leaving the relatively affluent Thousand River Valley as the only option.

"Will the Church approve? Aren't they still disputing?"

"Since a new Pope is still Leian, though not yet formally enthroned, with the Church's upper echelons held by Leian bishops, Prince Kongdai's request is likely to be satisfied."

"Will Grandiva agree?"

"After all, with the Old Pope's will, Grandiva claimed this Pope is an illegitimate pope, indeed garnering much support from scholar priests.

I don't know if this 'new Pope' can formally take office, but during this period, it's still possible to meet Prince Kongdai's demands."

Releasing a breath slowly, Nidesar rubbed his forehead: "Imperial affairs are really complex, enough of this, let's eat first, afterward you will sort out matters about Kush Territory and Prince Kongdai's request."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.