Chapter 39

Gadayat had fallen completely into chaos.

The three days during which the lords mourned the late king had become days of bloodshed.

Duke Bass Riches had murdered the royal family, slaughtered lords, and ascended the throne... Now, manor owners and commoners throughout the cities of Gadayat were leading opposition against him.

However, it had little effect.

The cities closer to the royal capital were the first to be violently suppressed by the knights Bass Riches had sent.

As long as Gadayat remained unstable, blood would continue to flow.

But soon, a piece of news swiftly spread through every city.

—Shazoi Desinia had a distant blood relationship with the late king. He could be considered a collateral branch of the royal family, and with no heir to the throne, he possessed an absolute right of succession.

In other words, Shazoi Desinia was more qualified than Bass Riches to inherit the throne.

His succession would be entirely legitimate.

Therefore, when Shazoi sent soldiers to take over the cities that had lost their lords, he encountered almost no obstacles.

Other than occasionally clashing with royal capital knights whom Bass Riches had "happened" to dispatch, the plan to bring the cities into his territory proceeded unexpectedly smoothly.

Not to mention that Bass Riches was so furious that his heart, liver, and lungs all ached.

On Xia Zuoyi's system interface, two or three new map locations lit up in succession. Nearly half of Gadayat's land had turned into clear, vivid colors.

The reputation value in the upper-right corner of the system continued to rise.

The plot deviation value was changing as well, jumping directly from three percent to five percent.

At the same time.

The Black Cavalry and White Cavalry, led respectively by Ferdinand and Walker, began to make names for themselves throughout Gadayat.

Compared with Visas and Komoy Fort, Sono City was closer to Kaies, the royal capital.

For that reason, Sono City was the first to be occupied by knights sent by Bass Riches.

However, Sono City's lord had been one of the nobles slaughtered.

The manor owners and commoners were dissatisfied with Bass Riches's actions in ascending the throne and becoming king. Once the royal capital knights entered the city, they rose up in resistance.

But their organization was too loose. Before long, they were thoroughly suppressed by the royal capital's knights.

Just as everyone in the city fell into despair.

Dust suddenly billowed at the city gates. The sun was setting, and a fiery red curtain stretched across the endless horizon.

At the point where sky and earth met, two columns of black and white cavalry gradually appeared.

They seemed to cleave through the curtain as they advanced. The steadily growing clatter of hooves sounded from afar.

One column wore neat black armor, solemn and imposing; the other wore neat white armor, cold and awe-inspiring.

Most eye-catching of all was the Thorn Rose banner, black with red patterns and representing Desinia's glory, flying high in the air. The evening sunlight seemed to gild its edges with a dazzling rim of gold.

"It's—it's Lord Desinia's Black Cavalry and White Cavalry! They're here, they're here!"

"We're saved!"

"Sono City will never belong to Bass Riches! He is Gadayat's sinner! The Creator God will not forgive him!"

The detained manor owners and commoners inside Sono City cheered.

The royal capital knights, however, were frightened by the enemy's momentum. Some of them even found themselves wanting to retreat.

With Taylor's White Cavalry and Daina's Black Cavalry pressing forward, the outcome of the battle was beyond doubt. The knights dispatched from the royal capital to Sono City were captured one by one.

Moreover, Taylor personally raised a banner bearing Desinia's crest upon Sono City's walls.

Daina stood beside him and said, "Of the six cities, four have now been taken over. Things are progressing smoothly."

"Most importantly, once Lord Ferdinand and Lord Walker successfully capture the territories of those lords loyal to Bass Riches, it will surely be a fatal blow to Bass Riches."

Taylor nodded. "I believe Lord Ferdinand and Lord Walker will succeed."

The results of Visas's usual training of the soldiers were displayed to the fullest in the conflict against Bass Riches.

At the outset, they smoothly captured the two cities closest to Komoy Fort. Then they advanced all the way toward the royal capital, crushing everything in their path.

In every place they passed through, whether the city had a lord governing it or not, manor owners, commoners, slaves, and others gradually learned of Desinia's fame—the magnificent cavalry formations, the valiant and skilled knight commanders...

And as the soldiers from Visas and Komoy Fort garrisoned the cities they had taken over, certain policies were implemented accordingly.

The various conditions and preferential policies within Desinia's territory quickly spread far and wide.

Under such circumstances, people who had lost their lords and opposed Bass Riches's ascension to the throne naturally became even more willing to accept Lord Desinia taking over their cities.

They also readily accepted the soldiers stationed in their cities and actively cooperated with them, leaving Shazoi's cavalry free to continue advancing without worries behind them.

It might not have been the perfect combination of timing, terrain, and popular support, but at the very least, they met no resistance wherever they went.

What was more, the soldiers Ferdinand had sent to Gaina beforehand to gather intelligence brought back news—Gaina's old king and eldest prince had died one after another not long apart.

Gaina's royal capital was now in complete chaos. Even if Bass Riches wanted to seek help from Bruno Green, he would not receive any assistance.

No matter how much Bass Riches calculated, he had never expected Xia Zuoyi's forces to be so strong, or so numerous...

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He hated that he had not found an opportunity to kill Xia Zuoyi in the royal capital.

As a result, before he had even enjoyed the throne for long, he was forced to face the steadily approaching cavalry.

And most terrifying of all, the number of knights Bass Riches could use was gradually dwindling... The nobles and commoners in Kaies, the royal capital, were also becoming increasingly resistant to him.

Two months later.

Harry William's territory and the territories of his vassals were all successfully occupied by the Black Cavalry led by Ferdinand.

Keith William, who had been responsible for defending the city at the time, was captured alive.

Ignoring Bass Riches's opposition, Harry William contacted the commander-in-chief of the White Cavalry—his son Walker—in an attempt to demand Keith William's release.

In the end, Walker lured him into the territory and captured him as well.

"Idiot!"

Bass Riches was so furious that he smashed objects all over the palace.

At the same time.

Harry William furiously questioned Walker. "You showed no mercy when deceiving your own father. You clearly had the authority to release your elder brother, so why didn't you?!"

"You even tricked me into coming here..."

After talking for some time and seeing that Walker still remained silent, he softened his tone. "The fact that you were able to become the commander-in-chief of the White Cavalry shows Desinia's trust in you. Why not lead the cavalry and pledge allegiance to the duke..."

Walker looked at Harry William as though he could not understand him.

He could not help saying, "Father, what are you even thinking?!"

"Bass Riches's defeat is already inevitable. Can't you see that even now?!"

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"I captured my elder brother alive and tricked you here because I was trying to preserve your lives. Otherwise, when the cavalry finally storms into Kaies, if Bass Riches uses you and my elder brother's lives to threaten me into betraying the count..."

"Do you think I should agree, or refuse?"

Harry William's expression shifted uncertainly. He understood the implication in Walker's words. "You would actually refuse?! You would watch your father and elder brother die?!"

Walker said, "Since you and my elder brother have chosen which side to stand on, you must bear all the consequences of standing on that side."

"I will do my best to save you, but I will never betray the count."

He looked complicatedly at Keith William, who had remained silent in the cell, and said, "Father, my elder brother understands more clearly than you do."

After saying that.

Walker instructed the soldiers standing guard to notify him immediately if anything happened here.

"Yes, Lord Walker."

Six days later.

Xia Zuoyi's cavalry forces surged into Kaies, the royal capital, with unstoppable momentum.

Dawn had only just broken when horns sounded from atop the towering city walls, calling defenders to battle.

The entire city began preparing for war. Every household shut its doors tightly, while commoners knelt on the ground and prayed to the Creator God.

They prayed for this calamity to pass quickly and for Kaies to regain its peace.

Some people whispered cautiously inside their homes.

"Which side do you hope will win?"

"Of course Lord Desinia... I heard that many beneficial policies have been implemented in the cities already taken over. Besides, the current situation is also most favorable to the young lord..."

"The king—no, the duke—bloodily slaughtered the royal family. The churches and temples were all destroyed, and now he... This must be the Creator God punishing him."

"That's right. Creator God, bless us. Please let..."

Outside the royal capital.

The Black Cavalry and White Cavalry stood in formation on either side, their banners flying at the front. The black-and-red patterns were especially striking.

After more than two months of fighting and slaughter, the soldiers' combined momentum had grown even more immense and could not be underestimated. Merely standing motionless there, they exuded an oppressive aura that bore down on their enemies.

The black and white armor reflected the faint morning light. Though it was not dazzling, it stung the royal capital knights' eyes, and sweat slowly trickled down the backs covered by chainmail.

The difference between the two opposing sides was simply too great.

It was not merely a difference in numbers, but in momentum, equipment, and more.

From the beginning, the knights defending the royal capital had been at a disadvantage.

Walker stepped forward first.

His calm gaze swept over the familiar and unfamiliar people with whom he had once lived, and he shouted, "Surrender! Are you truly going to resist to the end for a criminal who murdered the royal family?!"

"You should know in your hearts that no matter how long you persist, you cannot hold out for much longer. Think of your families, your friends... Throwing down your weapons now is the best choice."

"We only seek to punish the traitors."

The royal capital knights' morale had already been low. After hearing those words, an atmosphere of hesitation visibly spread among them.

No one knew how much time passed.

At last, one knight guarding the city gate threw his weapon to the ground.

Then, one after another, more people began doing the same.

Ferdinand and Walker exchanged a knowing glance.

The corners of their lips lifted as they said at the same time, "Enter the royal capital!"

Bass Riches did not flee.

After the royal capital was swiftly brought under control and security had been established everywhere.

Escorted by Daina and Taylor, Xia Zuoyi entered the palace and met the bound duke.

Xia Zuoyi said, "I thought you would take the chance to leave Kaies."

To prevent such a possibility.

Xia Zuoyi had deliberately stationed soldiers at every possible route outside the city, but he had not expected Bass Riches to remain in the palace.

Bass Riches sneered. "Why should I leave?"

He had already lost everything. He was now like a pitiful dog.

His schemes had failed. He had lost the throne and his noble status... To him, those losses were more painful than death.

Bass Riches stared deeply at Xia Zuoyi.

He slowly said, "I never expected that I would lose to you, someone who was only..."

He pressed his lips together tightly, his expression filled with extreme unwillingness.

Xia Zuoyi said, "There is nothing unfair about losing to me."

"If you had not harbored ill intentions toward me and had not provoked me, you would not have ended up like this. You brought it upon yourself. You cannot blame anyone else."

"I can only give you two words: you deserve it."

Upon hearing this, Bass Riches was so furious that he nearly died of a heart attack.

He said, "Don't celebrate too soon. There are more collateral branches of the Gadayat royal family than just you. You..."

Xia Zuoyi interrupted him. "Sorry for the trouble, but you need not worry so much about me."

"Because I never intended to ascend the throne or become king. I was merely expanding my territory."

Bass Riches abruptly raised his head.

Xia Zuoyi said, "Starting today, there will no longer be a Gadayat on the Western Continent. Kaies will no longer be the royal capital either. This entire land will become part of my territory."

"I am no longer a count, but the sole lord—Lord Desinia."

"You can remember this before you die. From this day onward, my territory will be named 'Desinia.'"

"You, you..."

Bass Riches only felt a metallic sweetness rise in his throat, as though he wanted to cough something out.

But Xia Zuoyi had no desire to listen to any more of his nonsense. He gestured to Walker, then turned and left.

Walker cleanly and decisively ended Bass Riches's life.

Thus, the turmoil in Gadayat finally came to an end.

Gadayat disappeared.

Xia Zuoyi's system interface refreshed once more.

The entire territory that had belonged to Gadayat was illuminated as a colorful three-dimensional map.

And upon that map, a special marker appeared—Desinia.

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