"What are those people?" Count Kempins Bristle-Wolf watched the standoff between the Barbarians and the Knights in the distance. Then he spotted three Human Race Mana-Wielders on a path far away.
"What?" The nobles on the terrace followed the Count's pointing finger and looked toward the three Mana-Wielders.
As the three riders drew closer, the Barbarian Cavalry noticed them, too. Twelve Barbarian riders charged out of their camp toward the newcomers.
Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge watched them charge over, his face twisting with worry. "Paladin Bert, can you still deal with those savages?"
Paladin Bert Kaul had overused his Battle Qi in the fighting two days earlier and still hadn't recovered.
"Don't worry, Baron. I know what I'm doing." With that, the Paladin rode forward alone, took off his hemp robe, and recited a prayer. Holy light shone from his scale armor.
But just then, a sharp whistle sounded from the Barbarian camp. All the Barbarian riders, including those facing the Bristle-Wolf Knights, returned to camp, leaving the Human Knights and the Paladin where they stood.
Ever since the Paladin had fought thirteen Barbarians two days earlier, everyone in the Grey Goose Tribe had learned how powerful he was. The arrival of two Clerics had led the Gray Goose Leader to misjudge the situation, believing that many high-rank Human Race warriors had arrived. The tribe had repeatedly sent out scouts to determine how many high-rank Human Clerics there were.
Now, several days later, only two high-rank warriors had appeared, alone. No more Human reinforcements were coming to the Bristle-Wolf border.
This confirmed that the two high-rank Clerics were acting on their own, not as part of a large-scale Human military deployment.
Even so, the Barbarians pulled back their forces. The riders who had just been skirmishing with the Bristle-Wolf Knights quickly returned to camp, giving the Paladin no chance to act.
The Grey Goose Tribe was cautious because a Palace Front Department representative had previously told the Gray Goose Leader how to deal with these isolated high-rank warriors: keep them at bay and avoid their edge. In an environment plagued by Magic Turbulence, they would soon run out of mana.
"Thank you both for coming. I never expected a mere few hundred Barbarians to bring two high-rank Clerics all this way. May I ask who sent you?" Count Bristle-Wolf was glad to see the Paladin and Priest, but wary of them as well.
The Bristle-Wolf Family regarded the entire Northwest Territory as its own domain and filled the Temple in Bristle-Wolf City with its own Clerics.
It was common practice among the other great nobles, too, to appoint their own Clerics to the Temples in cities under their control. But they always left some positions for their vassals and neighboring families. The Bristle-Wolf Family's habit of hogging every spot at the trough had made the entire Dragon Kingdom laugh at them.
The sudden arrival of two high-rank Clerics put Count Bristle-Wolf on guard. Their ranks matched that of Bristle-Wolf City's High Priest, and they had come alone. The city feared the two Church representatives planned to parachute into town as High Priest—or claim some other empty title and refuse to leave.
Both high-rank Clerics came from distinguished families. Nicholas White belonged to the White family of the Church's Holy City, a family that had produced a legendary Bishop. Several high-rank Priests of the Temple—equivalent to Magisters—served in the Dragon Kingdom and Girislav.
Bert Kaul's ancestors belonged to the family of the legendary Kaul Mage, who had helped the God Emperor rebuild Night-Kirin City. The Kaor Family had taken part in the reconstruction of the Gallop Empire and kept a close eye on the Gallop Plains, offering considerable support to the descendants of the Gallop Royal Family.
Both men were outstanding Mana-Wielders from their families. They were advancing toward the rank of Mentor, and becoming high-rank Knights was all but certain. They wouldn't give Bristle-Wolf City's little Temple a second glance.
"Count, I have a junior fellow student named Light Dolaina. He went to the Gallop Plains as an Ascetic Monk a few years ago. We came to see if we could find him, but ended up caught in the war between the Northwest Territory and the Barbarians.
"Rest assured, Light and I will stay here for the time being. We won't get involved unless you ask us to."
There were many traditions, rules, and unspoken understandings among Human nobles. When it came to fighting and taking part in a war, two rules mattered most: 1. All parties to the conflict should share the spoils.
2. No one could stand idly by when another race invaded.
The Human Race wasn't the strongest in the world. Weaker races had to stand together to survive, and unity required punishing those who did nothing in the face of an invasion by another race and rewarding those who took action.
These principles were not only formal laws issued by the Empire, but also the first rules every Knight learned.
That was why Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge had been so distraught at seeing other Knights' territories invaded. Of course, neither the Count nor the two high-rank Clerics believed the Baron had broken the rules. Precepts might be fixed, but those judging the situation were not; helping others was only possible if you had the strength to act.
By every measure, Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge had been at the end of his rope against the Barbarians. No noble thought he should be held responsible for the tragedies that had befallen several Knightly territories. Instead, Bert Kaul had given the Baron two Blackscale Horses as his share of the spoils for taking part in the fighting—or, rather, for bringing word of it.
Bert had also seen that the Bristle-Wolf Count didn't want him joining the decisive battle against the Barbarians. Whatever the outcome, the Count would suffer heavy losses and need every bit of the spoils to make up for them.
If Bert got involved, the Count would have no choice but to share. Seeing Count Kempins glare as he thanked them for coming, the two high-rank Clerics promised not to interfere unless he asked.
Hearing their assurance, Kempins Bristle-Wolf realized he'd gone too far and hurried to smooth things over. "Ha ha, you're too kind. The Magic Turbulence throughout the Gallop Plains is intense, and it directly affects the recovery of high-rank warriors. These Barbarians aren't worth your trouble. I suggest you both rest easy in my castle. Once all my vassals have arrived, I'll face them in battle!"
"They actually went south to loot the Knightly territories?" While the Count spoke with the Church representatives, the Barons and Viscounts were focused on Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge.
"Yes. On my way here alone, I saw three Knightly territories get looted..." As he spoke, Jeo nearly lost control again. "I could only watch the Barbarians storm into their castles... There was nothing I could do."
"Jeo, my good friend, you were badly injured. You wouldn't have been able to save them anyway," Hark said.
"That's right. You can't be blamed. The Barbarians are simply too powerful this time. For ordinary minor nobles like us, it's enough just to hold on to our main castles," Viscount Elk agreed.
"Really? We truly can't stop these beasts?" Jeo asked. If these nobles couldn't stop the Barbarians, could they even protect their lands and people? If they couldn't, what was the point of being nobles? But if they should have been able to, why had things come to this?
No one dared answer Baron Jeo's question. Even Hark and Viscount Elk secretly glanced at the Count in the distance. They knew he wasn't the main reason the Barbarians had grown so powerful, but he was undoubtedly the one chiefly responsible for this invasion.
Two chapters today. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Please leave comments and recommendations~