"How is this possible? The lord himself actually came!?"
Hodge's gaping mouth could have fit an egg.
Theus was well aware of his role as lord. He rarely put himself in danger. Castel's soldiers did not need him to personally take the battlefield to raise their morale; on the contrary, they might be burdened by having to protect him.
Thus, for the Northern Territory expedition, Theus had always handled logistics in the rear and trusted the soldiers with matters at the front.
Even when the Mother Goddess Church rebellion broke out in Blood Port, he had merely observed from afar and had not truly gone to the front lines.
Yet today, he had taken a train to the Northern Territory, a thousand miles from Castel, and had even brought every single Banshee with him.
What could possibly be so important in the Northern Territory?
Hodge's heart pounded. He had a faint feeling that something huge was about to happen.
"That's Count Theus, Lord of Castel?" Gwen looked curiously at the young man in the distance. "He's so young. Is he really as great as people say?"
This was Gwen's first time seeing Theus. She had never left the Northern Territory before, and had thought she would only meet the legendary lord after the war. She had not expected to see him today.
Hodge glanced at her and gave a soft snort without speaking.
Gwen knew that these Expeditionary Force soldiers were all Theus's devoted supporters. Honestly, after seeing that bastion, she too had come to hold greater expectations for this lord.
After all, the Expeditionary Force would eventually settle in Castel. That place would be their home, and Theus would be—no, already was—her lord as well.
Not far away.
Alexei exchanged a few quiet words with Theus. Theus nodded with