The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

Walking alone in the garden of the castle courtyard, Mashubad's face gradually twisted into a crazed and sinister expression.

Even as the most reckless Duke of Mousillon, the adopted son of the Lich King Arkhan, Mashubad knew that his time was running out. The situation in Mousillon was deteriorating, and the vampires' grip on the land was weakening.

When did the situation start spiraling out of control?

Mashubad recalled the timeline, starting roughly five years ago with the flood summoned by the Lady of the Lake that destroyed the entire Duchy of Connaught. After that, things steadily worsened for Mousillon.

The entire Blood Knight banner disappeared during an attack on Ryan's territory. Then there was the Battle of Turis Castle, where the Red Duke died, and Arkhan's attempt to ambush Ryan's territory encountered an extremely terrifying presence, resulting in the annihilation of the elite vampire army.

This was a devastating blow to Mousillon. Due to the failure of his plans, Arkhan had to depart in search of Nagash's crown, while the Vampire Count Mannfred was tasked with attacking the Skavenblight to find Nagash's sword.

Otherwise, the army Mousillon had accumulated over centuries might not have been able to challenge the entire Bretonnia, but it could have easily dealt with the combined forces of three or four dukes.

After these significant setbacks, Mashubad had few troops left, forcing him to take this desperate gamble. Was he unaware of the risks of his plan?

No, he was fully aware. But he had no choice. Remaining passive meant certain death. How long had it been since Duke Leon's chivalric army attacked Mousillon? The corpse of the Red Duke still lay quietly outside Turis Castle, watching the self-proclaimed new Duke of Mousillon.

He had to gamble for a chance to turn the tide. Otherwise, it would be a slow death. Taught by Arkhan from a young age, Mashubad knew what he needed to do.

Vampires had infiltrated Bordeleaux. Necromancer Farah and several vampires had bribed the Duke of Bordeleaux's quartermaster to buy an old catapult that was no longer in use. The catapult was severely damaged and couldn't be repaired; it could no longer hurl stones but could still launch something weighing a couple of hundred kilograms. The quartermaster considered it useless and reported it as scrap, selling it cheaply with the Duke's approval.

While it couldn't hurl boulders, it could launch a person. The vampires planned to tie Farah to the catapult and fling the necromancer into the castle. Once inside, he could bypass the castle's barriers and summon the Black Grail Knights hiding outside the castle into the banquet hall.

Mashubad had noticed earlier that weapons were prohibited at the banquet. Even the dukes hadn't brought their weapons, except for that damn Templar Knight, who was fully armed. Ryan and his wife, along with their little maid, carried swords, which was against the rules, but the guards overlooked it because it was Ryan.

Once those powerful Black Grail Knights stormed the banquet, it would be a massacre.

"Ma...Dominic, why are you here? Washing your hands in the garden?" Fiona's impatient voice interrupted Mashubad's thoughts as she approached in high heels. "Did you come to the castle to admire flowers?"

"Why aren't you at the banquet?" Mashubad naturally avoided the banquet center. He feared being recognized, especially by Duke Berthimonde and Ryan, who were both formidable. Ryan and Sulia had seen him before.

Fortunately, there were hundreds of people at the banquet.

"What's the point of staying at the banquet? A bunch of Grail Knights boasting to each other." Fiona glared at Mashubad, her emotions shifting rapidly. "Can you tell me now? Why did we have to attend this banquet?"

"Fiona, I'm sorry about before. I hope you understand. I'm in a difficult position," Mashubad feigned distress, appearing like a downtrodden wandering knight. "I'm now a wanted fugitive in the kingdom. Only because I won second place in the knight tournament do these knights hesitate to deal with me openly. I must find a way to clear my name."

"I'll support you." Fiona didn't fully understand how Mashubad planned to clear his name, but she was determined to support this "poor soul."

It wasn't Mashubad's fault, but the decayed noble system of the knightly kingdom. Fiona was willing to face the world alongside him to clear his name.

The granddaughter of the Duke of Brionne made up her mind. No matter what, she would stand by Mashubad.

"Let's go inside the castle and find where the wizards are."

"Alright."

...

At the banquet, Ryan, Berthimonde, Hubald, and Duke Leon-Leoncoeur sat at the central round table, a place of honor for Grail Knights. In this country, only Grail Knights could sit at such a cherrywood round table during banquets.

"Ryan, I heard about your efforts during the Helmgart plague. Please drink this cup." At the round table, the Grail Knights feasted and drank. Duke Berthimonde raised his glass, signaling Ryan to drink it all.

"Uh, about Countess Eva..." Ryan downed the entire glass of red wine. Before he could speak, Berthimonde handed him a large goose leg. "Here, taste the goose meat and see how it differs from Bastogne's!"

A huge roast goose leg was shoved into Ryan's mouth. He nodded bitterly. Berthimonde was two generations his senior, not only a direct descendant of Arthur but also one of the kingdom's top holy knights. As a junior, Ryan had to follow the rules.

Halfway through the goose leg, Berthimonde placed a roasted lamb leg on Ryan's plate, his face showing an "earnest" smile. "What, champion of the Lady, you want to marry my granddaughter after marrying Sulia? That's not possible. A knight can have many women, but only one lady!"

"That's not what I meant, Duke." Ryan awkwardly explained. "I was asking about..."

"Why do you keep asking about things that don't concern you? Ryan, this matter doesn't involve you. If you want to discuss it, have François or Julius himself come to me! Asking your son-in-law to plead is inappropriate." Berthimonde laughed heartily, scolding Ryan in a senior-to-junior manner. "You can't replace Julius or Federmond in a champion duel!"

Ryan understood Berthimonde's meaning. The duke had already made up his mind and didn't need to discuss it with Ryan. Hence, he gently refused Ryan's probing in a half-joking manner.

Both stopped at that point. Ryan understood and found an opportunity to raise his glass to Federmond. "Congratulations again, Federmond."

"To you too!" The Grail Knights present raised their glasses together.

"For the Lady! For Bretonnia!"

"For Bordeleaux!"

The Grail Knights toasted together.

After another glass, Berthimonde spoke to Ryan. "I heard you and François plan to attack the Blackstone Stronghold in the Grey Mountains?"

"Yes, we're planning it." Ryan nodded. In the beautiful Bordeleaux Castle, seawater filled the banquet hall and courtyard. Dolphins, symbolizing Mannan, flipped in the air, splashing into the water.

"Bastogne Duchy will send two teams of knights to support you." Bastogne was close to the Blackstone Stronghold, and Duke Berthimonde clearly had concerns about it. "Kemmler's threat is the kingdom's threat. The dukes have their own issues. Last year's Chaos invasion severely damaged many duchies. You and François can't rely too much on the dukes for support. You must learn to solve problems without reinforcements."

"I understand." Ryan paused, then quickly responded. "The attack on Blackstone Stronghold isn't a chivalric war. Don't worry. Guarding your lands is our greatest devotion to the Lady."

This statement relieved the dukes. News of Ryan and François's plan to attack Blackstone Stronghold had spread among Bretonnia's upper echelons, making the dukes anxious as they faced their problems.

Firstly, the northern kingdoms suffered heavy losses from last year's Chaos invasion. They needed time to recover. The troubled expressions of Duke Aldred of Lyonesse, Duke Hagen of Gisoreaux, and Duke Leon revealed their incapacity to send troops. Duke Vulcard of Montfort was still clearing and restoring Axe Bite Pass, so he wouldn't send troops either.

Bordeleaux Duchy faced a political transition, making it unclear if they'd send troops. Carcassonne Duchy was constantly harassed by greenskins and Skaven. Brionne Duchy was in chaos. Duke Casvain of Parravon had poor relations with François. So, only Bastogne Duchy had the capacity and goodwill to send troops.

Berthimonde's words cleverly supported the dukes who couldn't send troops, implying they had no energy to help with the attack. The Red Dragon Duke voiced what the dukes wanted but couldn't say. As the Lady's chosen champion, Ryan invoking her name would put the dukes in a tough spot.

Next, Berthimonde did Ryan a favor, stating he would send troops to help. However, Ryan and François had to rely on their strength to win the war, not on the dukes' support.

In this mutual probing, another issue was resolved. Ryan realized Berthimonde wasn't politically naive as rumored; he simply didn't like politics. The young earl raised his glass. "

To your health and long life, my Duke."

"Thank you." Berthimonde clinked glasses with Ryan.

A mutual understanding seemed to be reached.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the famous play "The Hero Slays the Dragon" began on a stage set up by the servants. Everyone paused to watch the play.

The story was simple. In Bretonnia, a Grail Knight heard of a dragon invading the land and decided to slay it. The brave Grail Knight mounted his steed, picked up his lance, and embarked on the dragon-slaying quest.

The Grail Knight was played by a young knight in red full-plate armor, wielding a sword and shield, looking formidable.

The dragon was played by five serfs lined up under a "dragon body" made of animal skins, wood, and metal, wielding various weapons, charging at the "Grail Knight."

"For the Lady, face judgment, dragon! May the Lady grant me victory!" The knight playing the "Grail Knight" began his performance, bravely charging and battling the "dragon."

The "dragon" fought back fiercely, like all villains, using its full strength. The dragon body flipped on stage, striking the knight's shield. The dragon's head, seemingly made with dwarf assistance, could even breathe fire.

Initially disinterested in the crude play, Ryan quickly realized it was no mere act. The knight and "dragon" were genuinely fighting. The iron and leather dragon tail hit the knight's face, making it bloody. The knight's blade pierced the "dragon," spilling real blood, not chicken or pig blood!

Is this real? Ryan was shocked. Before he could react, the stage erupted in chaos.

A serf suddenly extended an arm from the "dragon body," holding a red dagger, stabbing the knight in the neck!

"Ahhh!" The audience screamed, shocked by the turn of events. The knight clutched his neck, blood spurting from his fingers, then collapsed, falling off the stage.

"What the hell, Boderic? Is this how your play ends, with the dragon treacherously killing the hero?" Berthimonde asked Duke Bordeleaux, confused.

"Wait~" Boderic was equally perplexed, muttering, "This isn't how the script goes."

While the dukes were puzzled, the "dragon" didn't give them time to think. The five serfs went berserk, charging into the banquet with the dragon body!

"Oh my God! What's happening?"

"Help!"

"Run!"

Chaos erupted as screams, trampling, and shattering glass filled the banquet hall.

"Guards! Protect the guests! Protect the duke!"

Updated! Second update today! Please vote!

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