32 Relief

"Who are those people?" Count Kempins Bristle-Wolf stared at the standoff between the Barbarians and the knights in the distance, suddenly spotting three human Mana-Wielders appearing on a path far away.

"What?" Several nobles on the terrace followed the Count's finger, looking toward the three Mana-Wielders.

As the three riders drew closer, the Barbarian cavalry noticed them as well; twelve Barbarian riders broke off from the main camp and charged toward the trio.

Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge looked at the charging cavalry with a bitter expression. "Paladin Bert, are you still capable of dealing with these savages?"

Paladin Bert Kaul had overused his Battle Qi during the battles of the past two days and had yet to recover.

"Rest assured, Baron. I have a plan for dealing with them." Having said this, the Paladin rode forward alone, shed his linen robe, and recited a prayer, causing his scale armor to emit a holy light.

However, at that very moment, a sharp whistle sounded from within the Barbarian camp. All the Barbarian cavalry, including those in the standoff with the knights, retreated back to their camp, leaving the human knights and the Paladin standing where they were.

Ever since the Paladin had fought off thirteen Barbarians two days prior, the entire Grey Goose Tribe had become aware of his strength. The appearance of two clerics had briefly caused the Grey Goose Leader to misjudge the situation, assuming that a large number of high-level human professionals had arrived. The Grey Goose Tribe had been frequently sending out scouting cavalry to confirm the number of high-level human clerics.

Now, days later, only these two high-level professionals had appeared, confirming there were no further human reinforcements on the Bristle Wolf border.

It was confirmed once again that this was merely the personal action of these two high-level clerics, not a large-scale deployment by the humans.

Even so, the Barbarians still tightened their forces. The cavalry that had been constantly engaging the Bristle-Wolf Knights quickly returned to camp, not giving the Paladin a single chance.

The caution of the Grey Goose Tribe stemmed from the fact that a representative from the Palace Front Department had previously told the Grey Goose Leader how to deal with these scattered high-level professionals: keep dragging them out and avoid their sharp edge. In an environment of Magic Turbulence, they would soon fall into a state of mana depletion.

"I am grateful for your arrival. I did not expect a mere few hundred savages to alarm two high-level clerics. May I ask who commissioned your arrival?" Count Bristle-Wolf felt both surprise and wariness regarding the long journey of the Paladin and the priest.

The Bristle Wolf family viewed the entire Northwest as their family territory, filling the temples in Bristle-Wolf City with their own family's clerics.

Although it was common practice among other great nobles to place their own clerics into the temples of the cities they controlled, most would still reserve some positions for subordinates or neighboring families. The Bristle Wolf family's habit of hogging the trough was mocked by the entire Dragon Kingdom.

Now, the sudden arrival of two high-level clerics triggered the Count's vigilance. These two were of the same rank as the Chief Priest of Bristle-Wolf City and had come alone. The Count worried that these two church representatives were planning to parachute into his city to become Chief Priests or latch onto some other honorary title and refuse to leave.

Both high-level clerics came from prestigious backgrounds. Nikola White hailed from the White family of the legendary bishops in the Holy City, a family with many high-level priests—equivalent to the Mage rank—stationed in the Dragon Kingdom and Kislev.

Bert Kaul's ancestors were from the family of the legendary Mage Kaul, who had rebuilt Night-Kirin City alongside the God Emperor. The Kaul family had participated in the reconstruction of the Gallop Empire, maintained a deep interest in the Gallop Plains, and often looked after the descendants of the Galloping Horse royal family.

Both were the cream of the crop among their families' Mana-Wielders; advancing to become mentors or high-level knights was a certainty for them, and they had no interest in the small temple of Bristle-Wolf City.

"Count, a junior of mine named Light Dolaina arrived in the Gallop Plains as an ascetic several years ago. We came this time to see if we could find him, but we were unexpectedly drawn into the war between the Northwest territory and the Barbarians. Rest assured, Light and I will stay here for the time being, and we will not intervene unless you request it."

Human nobility operated under a vast array of traditions, principles, and unspoken agreements. Regarding warfare and participation, the two most critical rules were: 1. All participating parties should share the spoils of war. 2. One must not stand idly by in the face of an invasion by a foreign race.

Humans were not the most powerful race in the world; if a weaker race wished to preserve itself, it had to unite, and ensuring unity meant punishing those who remained indifferent to foreign invasions while rewarding those who acted proactively.

These two principles were not only formal laws promulgated by the Empire but also the first tenets of the Knight's Code that every knight learned.

It was precisely because of this that the Baron of Wild Bear Ridge felt such immense pain when witnessing other knightly territories being invaded. Of course, neither the Count nor the two high-level clerics believed the Baron had violated these principles; after all, dogmas were rigid, but the people judging them were flexible. The prerequisite for helping others was having the ability to act.

From any perspective, the Baron of Wild Bear Ridge had reached his wit's end against the Barbarians, so no noble would hold him responsible for the tragedies of the other knightly territories. On the contrary, Bert Kaul even shared two Black-Scaled Horses with the Baron as a war dividend for his participation in the battle (and for bringing the news).

Bert also saw that Count Bristle-Wolf did not want him involved in the decisive battle against the Barbarians. Regardless of the outcome, the Count would suffer heavy losses and needed all the spoils to replenish them.

If he intervened, the Count would be forced to share his bounty. Watching Count Kepins thank him for his arrival with a dark expression, the two high-level clerics indicated they would not interfere unless the Count asked.

Hearing the guarantee, Kempins Bristle-Wolf realized he had been too excessive and quickly tried to make amends. "Haha, you are too polite. The Magic Turbulence near the Gallop Plains is intense and will directly affect the recovery of high-level professionals. These savages are not worth your effort. I suggest you both rest comfortably in my castle. Once my vassals arrive, I will engage them in a decisive battle!"

"They actually went to the southern knightly territories to pillage?" While the Count was conversing with the church representatives, the Barons and Viscounts were expressing their concern for Baron Jeo of Wild Bear Ridge.

"Yes, just on the road here, I saw three knightly territories being raided..." As he spoke, Jeo nearly broke down. "I just watched as the savages charged into their castles... and I couldn't do anything."

"Jeo, good brother, you were severely injured at the time; you couldn't have saved them anyway," Hark said.

"Indeed, this is not your fault. It can only be said that the Barbarians are too powerful this time. It is enough that we, as ordinary minor nobles, can hold our own main castles," the Viscount Elk echoed.

"Is that true? Can we really not stop these beasts?" Jeo asked. If these nobles couldn't stop the Barbarians, could they fulfill their duty to protect the land and the people? If they couldn't, why be nobles at all? But if they could have done it, why had the situation become like this?

No one dared to answer Baron Jeo's question. In fact, Hark and the Viscount Elk even glanced secretly at the Count not far away. Although they knew the Count was not the primary cause of the Barbarians' rise, he was undoubtedly the one primarily responsible for this current invasion.