Rebellion in the Three Counties

Victor and Alex chatted as they rode. Since they were in public, both deliberately avoided certain important topics and merely talked about everyday family matters. Brando sat obediently in Victor's arms, listening to them speak.

Victor happened to glance at the attire of the cavalry unit following behind Alex and suddenly asked, "Are these the Iron Knights you rebuilt?"

The cavalry behind Alex still wore the heavy armor the Iron Birch Family took pride in, made from Iron Birch bark. Aside from the style of their helmets, they were basically no different from the former Iron Knight Regiment.

Alex raised a finger and wagged it. "They aren't Iron Knights. They're the Scarlet Feather Guard."

Pointing at the red feather ornaments on the cavalrymen's helmets, Alex said, "Those are feathers from a bird native to the western part of the continent. It's called the Red-tailed Hawk. It isn't large, but it is ferocious and extremely stubborn. Once it fights another bird, even if it cannot win, it will fight to the death rather than retreat. It is also incredibly tenacious. Even with broken wings, it can survive for a long time by hopping on its feet and catching insects, sometimes healing its wings and soaring through the sky again. Local hunters believe that a Red-tailed Hawk returning to the skies has been reborn through blood.

"The tail feathers of this bird are brilliant red and very beautiful. Many nobles like to buy them as decorations for clothing and hats, which has led to these birds being hunted in great numbers. It is said that few remain in their native region now, so their feathers have become increasingly scarce on the market!

"By chance, I found a batch of Red-tailed Hawk tail feathers in the Silver Maple Family treasury. There weren't many,