Who Was the Real Disruptor?

Ergons's arrangements were indeed sound. He had coordinated every boost he could manage before the people from the County of Tervain arrived, and he felt that both he and his subordinates should be able to rise to the next level.

By then, he might not merely be pretending to be a knight—he might truly have a group of knights under his command.

After checking his character Attributes panel, he saw that his nominal strength was already no weaker than that of a Swadian Heavy Cavalryman. The combat power he could actually unleash was no less formidable than those battle-hardened noble knights of the duchy.

Next, he would pour all Level One Commands into experience and strive to level up as soon as possible!

But plans could never keep up with changes. The script of this matter was far from so simple and crude.

As for the fate of Tevalinburg and even the entire North Province, it was obvious that someone else wanted to step forward and arrange it.

In Gaudy City, the capital of the North Province in the far northwest of the duchy, the most dazzling tower was not the spire of the County of Anduin's castle, but the front tower of the twin-spired Cathedral of the Holy Guardian, located at the very heart of Gaudy City.

That gleaming tower was a spectacle visible even from beyond the city walls, representing the Holy Light's illumination over this land.

Gaudy City was not great because of the Anduin Family, its hereditary lords. It had earned its name because it had once been the stronghold of the Guardian Knights, predecessors of the Northern Knights, one of the duchy's Four Great Knight Orders.

Guardian City, the city of guardians—Gaudy City.

In the attic above the front tower, Bishop Dickens Anduin personally poured tea for his younger brother, Count Heffin Anduin: co-governor of the North Province, lord of Gaudy City, king of the County of Anduin, and former commander of the Northern Knights.

The bishop was already sixty-two, a full thirteen years older than the count. Yet having been sent to the Holy Light Church from childhood, he looked younger than Count Heffin, who was not yet fifty.

A gentle, benevolent radiance seemed to emanate from him. His jade-like skin bore not the slightest wrinkle or pore. Compared with his valiant younger brother, the bishop was more androgynous, closer to the sexless angels of myth who had no need for reproduction.

"Boding, burdened as you are by worldly affairs, you could not return to the embrace of the Holy Light sooner. You seem to have aged far too quickly!"

The count merely watched him pour Milk and Honey into the black tea, unmoved by his solicitous concern.

"Boding, do you still remember how this city got its name?"

Bishop Dickens continued moving his hands, a charitable glow on his face as he spoke of the city's past and its people like a priest delivering a sermon to his flock.

During the Faith War four hundred years ago, the Guardian Knights, who held the northeastern peninsula of the duchy, faced the onslaught of the Southern Legion crossing the sea from the northeastern continent. After fighting until they were nearly wiped out, they finally succeeded in halting the Southern Legion's advance.

Only then did the Holy Light Church, which had been fighting on all sides, have the strength to pull troops back. With the massive cavalry charge of the Knightly Orders across the wilderness, they drove the invaders back into the sea, completely establishing beyond doubt that the northern provinces belonged within the duchy's borders.

"It was they who allowed the Holy Light to continue shining upon this land!

And because graves needed people to guard them, a church was built here.

Then pioneers came here again and again to pay their respects at the heroes' remains, gradually settling down. Only then did this place become the City of Guardians."

"The Guardian Knights perished, but the Northern Knights rebuilt by their remnants still remain. The honor watered by our forebears' blood should not be tarnished."

The count did not respond at all. He quietly drank his tea with pastries.

The bishop was not angered. He brushed his fingers through his hair, tucked a loose strand behind his ear, and continued his seemingly irrelevant words with a kind, benevolent expression.

"The Baron of Tevalinburg is one of your supporters in the Knightly Orders, isn't he?"

The count remained unmoved. Nor was the bishop discouraged by his failure to detect any change in his expression. "I know that if Gaudy City guards the northern peninsula for the duchy, then that castle serves the same purpose for Gaudy City as Gaudy City does for the duchy.

Tevalinburg stands alone, guarding the final high ground of this peninsula. Its strategic position is unique. More than once, it has served as the province's last remaining territory. When the northern cities fall one after another, the lords gather there to make their final stand against their old enemies.

That is a family with a firm style and worthy of trust!"

The count had originally intended to make no promises during today's visit, but at the mention of this vassal family that had served them for centuries, he could not help but be moved.

"The Tevalin Family is worthy of trust. They have never disappointed anyone!"

"Exactly!"

Bishop Dickens was quite satisfied that Count Heffin had finally spoken.

"But I heard that the priest of the little chapel at Tevalinburg returned to the embrace of the Holy Light half a year ago, and no new priest has taken up the post yet. So I intend to send a group of Church officials to Tevalinburg to investigate the situation and resolve the problems there..."

As he said this, Bishop Dickens Anduin paused. He had been watching Count Heffin Anduin's expression all along, and seemed to ask tentatively, "...You would not object, would you?"

So it had finally come!

"You may send priests to Tevalinburg to continue preaching. But if the gate guards detain your group of Church officials, it is not because they question the legality of your preaching. They simply cannot understand why the Church's officials are carrying so many weapons, suits of armor, and provisions."

At last, they had reached the real subject. The bishop's heart could not help but relax somewhat.

"It is only thirty sets of Chainmail Hauberks and some combat hoes used by new recruits. Priests of the Church are legally permitted to wear armor. After all, the original members of the Guardian Knights were all clergymen."

The count was cornered by those words. In truth, he had known before attending the banquet that he could not stop his elder brother's actions.

He had not come to stop him either. He only wanted to make his position clear. "Tevalinburg does not need that much food and supplies, so do not tell me you are there to support the chapel's construction. Besides, I only heard the report of Tevalinburg's losses this morning. Many of the things you have done cannot be concealed from people."

The smile on the bishop's face remained gentle, as though he had not been exposed at all. "I told you already: the efforts of our predecessors cannot be defiled. Therefore, both you and I have a responsibility to make the Northern Knights great again. We also have a responsibility to make the North Province important again, to make Anduin needed again!"

"So you would not hesitate to plunge half the North Province into war!" The count finally could no longer suppress his anger.

"Of course I would not hesitate to plunge half the North Province into war!" For the first time, the bishop's expression turned solemn, though it carried a lofty sense of resolute conviction.

"I heard that farther northeast of the Tuokhan Khanate, there was once a vast nation. Within that empire circulated a saying filled with wisdom: Nurture Bandits for Importance.

Think about it. If there were no bandits left, who would continue to rely upon and fear the warriors who defended against them?"

The bishop was utterly resolute. "Anduin will surely be great again!"