Chapter 522: Multi-Party Linkage

Despite the massive commotion caused by the King’s assassination, it was fortunate that those privy to the truth belonged entirely to the Royal Knights.

Following the Crown Prince's strict gag order, Bror gathered all the present knights under the guise of secret training, placing them under temporary confinement.

Nevertheless, Bruno failed to appear the following day to bestow titles upon the surrendered imperial nobles, a disruption that inevitably sowed seeds of suspicion among the kingdom’s ministers and the visiting aristocracy.

Garrett had no choice but to have his mother, Queen Windsor, announce to the public that Bruno had suffered severe internal injuries from a volatile burst of battle qi due to overexertion in his martial training, using the need for a period of quiet recuperation to buy a few days’ time.

He then informed Ference of the successful assassination, initiating the next phase of their plan.

Under normal circumstances, Garrett would only have needed to proclaim that Bruno had perished in an assassination to smoothly inherit the throne.

The sole reason he now concealed the death and delayed the funeral was to target Ronin.

The Northern Mist Territory.

Since delivering Blanche to live in the Northern Mist Territory, Ronin had remained there constantly, keeping his pregnant wife company while using his leisure to study legendary-tier spells and combat techniques, as well as overseeing the railway construction; though peaceful, his days were far from tedious.

On this particular day, as he was discussing the route of the second railway line with Simon, the distant cry of a gryphon echoed through the sky.

Ronin looked up; with his exceptional mental acuity and vision, he could discern that the armor worn by the gryphon had been forged in Red Mountain Town.

"It's Tom. Why has he returned?"

Ronin set down the route map in his hands. "Could something urgent have occurred over at Mist City?"

Before long, the gryphon touched down right before Ronin.

Having endured several battles and handled numerous administrative affairs, Tom had grown exceedingly capable; once his personal strength caught up, he would undoubtedly become a vanguard commander under Ronin's banner.

"My Lord, I went to the academy to find you just now, but the Mistress said you were here, so I rushed over."

Tom dismounted the gryphon, offering a polite greeting before diving straight to the heart of the matter: "There is trouble in Moore City!"

Ronin frowned, asking with a note of skepticism, "Don't tell me they have launched an offensive?"

It had been less than seven days since the New Year's celebration, the festive atmosphere had not yet fully faded, and they were facing the critical season of spring plowing; would the defeated faction truly initiate an attack now?

"Yes, My Lord!"

Tom said in a heavy tone, "Commander Rhaedar doesn't know why they chose to strike either, but according to current intelligence, Moore City has deployed at least three knight orders! Though their marching speed is deliberate, they will reach the outskirts of Mist City in five days."

With only three knight orders, Mist City would not require the aid of other nobles; they could handle it with their own forces.

The only fear was that a figure like Aruba might be hidden within those three orders.

Mist City was now Ronin’s territory; if the battlefield were set there, it would undeniably inflict damage upon his lands, his subjects, and his property.

Should he carelessly lose Mist City, the prestige of this newly elevated Duke would be utterly shattered, potentially deterring the steady stream of retainers currently seeking to join him.

After a moment of deliberation, Ronin said, "Simon, I will leave the surveying of the second line to you. Though I haven't spoken to my grandfather yet, constructing a railway that traverses the Wushan Territory will pose absolutely no problem."

"Very well, Your Grace, tend to your affairs."

Simon rolled up the blueprints of the route he had recently surveyed out of Swamp Town. "I cannot assist you on the front lines, but you can safely leave this massive undertaking of the railway to me."

Ronin nodded, then turned to Tom. "Take a day off. Go to Three-Way Town and visit your mother."

"Thank you, My Lord!" Tom said, filled with gratitude.

Ronin gave a nod and took flight toward the Magic Academy; he needed to inform Blanche first so she wouldn't worry.

"The Lord doesn't even need to use magic to fly anymore!" Tom exclaimed in awe.

Simon chuckled. "Ignorant boy. Ronin is a Legend now; flight is an instinct to him, so naturally, it requires no magic."

"Ah?"

Tom’s eyes widened. "When did this happen? I actually had no idea!"

Simon caught himself, having assumed everyone was already aware of the matter; he hadn't realized it was being kept secret.

"Well, you know now, kid!"

He patted Tom on the shoulder. "Remember to keep it to yourself, don't go spreading it around."

Tom stood there, somewhat dazed.

A Legend—an existence one rarely even heard tales of—was now standing right before him.

Ronin informed Blanche of the situation; though she felt a pang of reluctance at his imminent departure for Mist City, she did nothing to hold him back.

A rising duchy demanded a great deal of Ronin's attention, to say nothing of border warfare.

Blanche's sole wish, perhaps, was merely for her husband's safe return.

Ronin had a message delivered to Elrond before finally flying off toward Mist City.

Meanwhile, at Wushan Castle.

Rulance fell into deep thought as he gazed at the letter sent back by Carolina, the liaison officer he had stationed in Golden Feather City.

"His Majesty injured himself while practicing combat techniques?"

A thousand questions flashed through his mind.

While it was true that knights could suffer internal injuries from errors made during the cultivation of combat techniques, based on his understanding of Bruno, the King had long since abandoned his training and ceased to expend any effort on it.

To suddenly suffer an injury requiring quiet recuperation now—what kind of farce was this?

"My Lord, Baron Albert requests an audience outside."

Rulance set down the parchment in his hand. "Let him in."

Before long, the administrative minister of the Wushan Territory, the man who possessed the audacity to venture alone into the Golden Feather Palace, walked in with brisk strides.

"Good day, My Lord."

He offered a salute, speaking even as he did so: "I bring rather troubling news."

Rulance knit his brows; ordinary news would scarcely disturb him.

"What is it?"

Albert stated, "According to tidings sent back by Baron Kabir, a significant number of unidentified knights have recently appeared along the border between Black Pine Mountain and the Principality of Vera. It has become especially pronounced over the last two days following the New Year's celebration."

Black Pine Mountain was a newly reclaimed territory, currently managed by Wiggins' son-in-law, Baron Kabir.

A sharp gleam flashed across Rulance’s eyes.

The Black Gold Brotherhood had been utterly annihilated in the last war; could the enemy be planning a resurgence?

"Andrea..."

Ever since Ronin became the Blazing Sun, the borders of the Wushan Territory had enjoyed a tranquility unseen for over thirty years—such was the deterrent power of a supreme powerhouse.

Now that Ronin's influence was at its zenith, would the Principality of Vera suddenly back a third-rate organization once more just to throw away lives?

Rulance looked down, his eyes falling upon the letter resting to the side, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Surely it hasn't come to that!"

He stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth across the room.

Albert dared not make a sound; from the Marquis' expression, it was evident that some cataclysmic event had occurred.

"Go, notify Kabir to mobilize the Black Python Castle Knight Order, and have them coordinate with Knight Petro of the Purple Thunder Territory to reinforce the border defenses immediately! Oh, and at the same time, write to Baron Toru and Viscount Vittorio, instructing them to fortify the defenses of Port Dennis."

Albert froze for a moment; he could comprehend the orders to reinforce Black Pine Mountain and the Purple Thunder Territory, but what connection did the situation on the southeastern border have with Cape City in the southwest? What enemy could possibly be out there?

At that thought, a name suddenly surfaced in Albert’s mind—the Fleming family.

“Yes, my lord!”

Albert wasted no time and set off at once to carry out the order.

Rulance sat in silence for a while longer, then quickly went to his study to write a letter to Ronin. In it, he expressed his suspicions about Bruno’s self-inflicted injury, as well as his growing unease over the unusual activity along the Black Pine border.

Andrea would not be so foolish—unless he had some certainty, he wouldn’t support any faction at the cost of draining his own nation’s strength.

“Fortunately, Ronin is currently in the Northern Bay Territory, surrounded by sea on three sides and safely behind the Wushan domain. He should be secure.”

Rulance wasn’t overly concerned for Ronin’s safety; rather, it was the uncertainty of what lay ahead that unsettled him.

What exactly had happened in the capital? (End of Chapter)