thefictionvixens Chapter 93 Heart of Frost
Chapter 93 Heart of Frost
Chapter 93 Heart of Frost
"The Lord does have mercy on all living beings, but unfortunately he cannot take care of everyone."
"Gentlemen, the ice age came early this year. The seedlings of the crops had just grown and had not yet matured before they were all frozen to death."
"Even the tough grass couldn't survive, and several of my goats starved to death. I had planned to take them to breed in the spring."
"And my wife just gave birth to my third child, Your Grace. What should I do?"
The audience hall at Goringburg is spacious and empty, with only a few small windows in the cold, ancient stone walls, creating an inexplicable sense of confinement inside.
Even with the candles lit on the lampposts, the faint light was barely enough to make a difference in the entire hall.
A farmer with short hair knelt in the center of the hall, looking aggrieved, and poured out his suffering.
Kathy sat on the lord's throne, which was padded with fur and plush cushions. His slender figure contrasted sharply with the wide stone seat.
Despite her thinness, Pegasus could tell that Casey had grown quite a bit taller in the past few years.
To the left of the stone seat, there was a white cedar wood chair that had been temporarily placed there. A long-haired man in his late forties was sitting there, holding a notebook and writing and drawing.
This is Master White, the current Herald of Goringburg.
White had a long, thin face, thick eyebrows, and a clean-shaven beard; he must have been a handsome man popular with young girls in his youth.
Pegasus stood to Kathy's right, wearing soft armor and with an iron sword at his waist.
Kathy suddenly turned her head and frowned as she looked at Pegasus.
Bekas nodded, encouraging Cathy with his eyes.
Kathy then turned forward and said loudly:
"State your demands, my subjects."
The man kneeling in front immediately spoke:
"Your Grace, this year has been incredibly difficult for the farmers. They have lost a whole season's harvest, making it hard to make a living. My family has run out of peas, and the remaining flour is only enough to last seven days. Your Grace, I beg you for your assistance."
Pegasus saw Cathy open her lips as if to reply, but Master White spoke first:
"The Duke's household also has no surplus grain."
Everyone looked at White; the hall was eerily silent.
After a long while, Casey spoke:
"But-"
"—My lord," White interrupted Casey, "the entire plateau has suffered a poor harvest this year. You can't help everyone, and besides, there are still a lot of people in Goringburg who need to be fed."
Cathy lowered her head: "But we shouldn't leave them all unhelped."
Seeing this, Pegasus reached out and placed his hand on Cathy's shoulder.
He then turned to White and said, "Master White, the Lines family has always been generous in their benevolence, relying on their preferential treatment of their subjects and vassals. This is how they have earned the respect and admiration of the Highlands. Helping the people is beneficial to maintaining the Lines family's reputation."
"That depends on the time," White argued. "You should be just as aware of the difficulties Goringburg is facing now, Sir Burn."
Bekas couldn't deny it, but he still stubbornly insisted:
"At the very least, he shouldn't go back empty-handed."
"throat·-..
White shook his head and sighed, closed his eyes and pondered for a long time before finally raising his head and speaking.
"Your subject will receive a handful of pea seeds and two bundles of straw. Go outside and collect them from the official. In addition, due to the Duke's love and benevolence towards the people of the territory, you will be exempt from all miscellaneous taxes for the next six months."
The kneeling farmer, with his hands outstretched, complained:
"How many bites can you eat from a handful of peas? The straw is even more inedible! And right now my whole family is on the verge of starvation, gentlemen, I really don't have time to worry about taxes for the next few months!"
White immediately said:
"The peas aren't for you to eat, and the straw is to fertilize your backyard. The Duke's mansion isn't a church welfare institution; we don't do charity here, and we don't provide for lazy people. If you're truly a diligent person, this help will be enough to get you through this difficult time. Alright,"
"I am grateful for Your Excellency's kindness, and you may now withdraw."
Although the farmer still looked dissatisfied, he dared not swallow his emotions.
After expressing his gratitude to Casey, he left the hall.
White immediately stood up and said, "Alright, Duke Casey, that was the last person to request an audience. In that case, please allow me to take my leave."
"Thank you for your hard work, Master White," Casey nodded.
White flicked his long lapel and turned to leave.
Pegasus could tell that White was unhappy; clearly, White did not approve of Pegasus and Kathy's willingness to give alms to civilians.
Perhaps White is right, but this is by no means the way the Lines family should rule.
Becas didn't think much of White's matter and said to Kathy:
"Alright, sir, you've had a long day."
Cathy shook her head: "I can manage."
"What a good kid." Thinking this, Pegasus patted Cathy on the shoulder.
Kathy is already twelve years old, and in two more years he will be an adult man.
Therefore, Bekas should treat Kathy as an adult and not touch his head casually.
"Well then, sir, there will be martial arts and horseback riding practice next. Instructor Robert will be here to guide you today."
"And you, Pegasus?" Casey looked up and asked.
"I have other things to do," Pegasus said, waving his right hand. "You know, the plateau hasn't been fully reclaimed yet."
"Um,"
Kathy nodded and left the hall, heading outside.
A rare smile appeared on Bekas's usually expressionless face.
He felt incredibly lucky to be able to serve the Lines family and now even to have Casey sit in that chair again.
But the more he thought about it, the more he felt it wasn't enough.
Kathy's rule is not yet very secure, and Pegasus still has a lot of work to do.
He was already fifty-three years old, well into being an old man, and he only felt that time was running out.
Upon arriving at the strategy hall, Pegasus began studying the battle maps.
Since he and Earl Reggie Davis of Whitewood devised their plan to seize power three years ago, everything has been going very smoothly.
They spent three months preparing everything before marching on Goringburg.
Just as they expected, they encountered no obstacles along the way.
They then besieged Goringburg while requesting and appealing for support from other lords.
The moment Casey's identity was revealed, she immediately won the allegiance of many of the Lines family's supporters.
Kathy's team expanded rapidly, and their support and supplies were also secured.
Afterwards, Pegasus took charge of leading the army, while Reggie personally acted as an envoy, traveling to various castles to persuade those who were wavering.
In less than three months, Kathy gained the support of nearly half of the lords.
At this time, Gaolinbao was beset by internal and external troubles, and Gray City was also struggling to survive and unable to provide assistance. Finally, unable to withstand the pressure, it chose to surrender.
Nearly twenty years after Jasper's death, his grandson, Cathy Lines, finally brought the Lines bloodline back to the castle.
The plateau has returned to the rule of the Lines family.
After the recapture of Goringburg, many lords chose to pledge allegiance.
It took about a year for two-thirds of the highland's forces to side with the Lines family.
The remaining ones were the diehards, whom neither words nor threats could subdue. Pegasus had no choice but to lead his troops into battle and force them to their knees.
But this process was undoubtedly much slower, though it did yield some results.
Until six months ago, only three cities remained in the plateau region, still putting up a stubborn resistance.
However, those three cities were tough nuts to crack, and despite various suggestions, there was no easy way to take them down.
As a result, the overall landscape of the plateau has remained unchanged for the past six months.
Bekas spent several more hours researching today, but still came up empty-handed.
At that moment, Pegasus noticed someone enter the house and stand behind him.
He looked at the man: "Master White? What are you doing here? Do you need something?"
“Herbal officers often participate in military operations, so it’s not surprising that I’m here,” White said. “But I do have something to tell you.”
"Please speak,"
Bekas straightened his posture and gestured for White to sit down with him.
White got straight to the point:
"Sir Bourne, please proceed with the disarmament."
“You know it’s impossible,” Pegasus said. “The plateau hasn’t been fully recovered yet.”
“But we can’t feed that many mouths,” White replied. “The remaining food is not enough to last until the next harvest, and given the current climate, even if there is a harvest, it will be reduced.”
"I will request support from other lords."
White raised his right hand: "I don't think you've forgotten how many letters of appeal from vassals are currently piled on the Duke's desk. The lords on the plateau are having a hard time this year, and no one can help us."
Pegasus stood up and said impatiently:
"Then we'll tighten our belts and try our best to get through this. In short, the team cannot be disbanded before the plateau is completely recovered."
"However, you always approve of Duke Keshi's practice of giving food to the common people."
Looking at Whitechu's aggressive demeanor, Pegasus understood the herald's purpose.
His proposal must have been rejected earlier, so he came here to complain and cause trouble.
"This has always been the way the Lyons have ruled," Pegasus replied coldly.
"Womanly compassion leads to no great achievements," White said. "Sir, you shouldn't let Casey's merits become weak—"
"That's enough!"
Pegasus roared, a roar that surprised even himself, but he had to finish what he was saying.
"Weakness? Master White, what do you know about adults? Cathy lost her parents' care at a young age, yet she has always worked hard to hone herself. She never complains about the pain of learning, only regretting that she couldn't become stronger faster. You call that weakness? Cathy is indeed kind, but she is by no means weak!"
"Well, I'm sorry, my judgment was indeed a bit hasty," White said, bowing slightly. "But I still stand by my point of view: in times like these, we should not continue to give alms to the people."
"That small act of charity has no impact on the overall situation."
But little by little, it adds up.
Pegasus sensed that he would soon be persuaded.
He is not good at arguing and is easily swayed by the opinions of others.
Therefore, he had to end the topic quickly:
"I think it's worth it to make a small sacrifice to win the hearts of the people, Master White. You don't need me to tell you this. The Lines family has been missing from the plateau for nearly twenty years, enough time for a generation to grow up. I think you should understand that this ancient family needs to win the love and respect of the people more than ever before."
After he finished speaking, Bekas heard White let out a barely perceptible laugh, but it didn't escape his ears.
However, White didn't seem to intend to dwell on this issue; instead, he offered another perspective:
"At this time, rather than deceiving ourselves into thinking we are winning the hearts and minds of the people, I think it is obviously more important to win the support of our vassals."
"The Duke naturally needs the loyalty of all the lords."
Upon hearing this, White, as if he had been lying in wait for a long time, hurriedly questioned:
But why do you prohibit the export of exotic iron ore from the plateau?
"I'd like to ask you why you agreed to the mine's export in the first place," Pegasus gave White a suspicious look.
"The mines can bring in revenue for Goringburg," White replied.
"But did you know that the plateau is world-renowned for its demon hunters? This reputation stems not only from the plateau people's understanding of monsters, but also from the unique iron ore found only on the plateau?"
At this point, Pegasus became increasingly agitated, and his arms involuntarily began to wave.
"Once the iron ore from the plateau flows out, other regions will become less dependent on the plateau for demonic events, which will definitely be detrimental to the plateau's long-term benefits! It is said that greed can cloud judgment, and it seems that even a well-read Herald Officer is not immune to this."
"Blinded by greed? Ha!" White sneered. "Of course I know that selling minerals can only bring short-term profits to the Highlands. But, Sir Bourne, you only see the results. Do you know why I insisted on proposing this policy even knowing the consequences?"
Upon hearing this, Pegasus raised an eyebrow slightly.
He calmed down a bit: "What do you mean?"
"When I took over as Herald of Goringburg, Bob Capello had also just been appointed Lord of the Highlands. However, whatever he wanted to do on the Highlands, he not only had little support from other lords, but also encountered a lot of obstacles."
Pegasus, however, took it for granted: "He is not from the Highlands, so naturally he cannot gain the sincere loyalty of the Highland Lord."
"Yes, but as the herald of Goringburg, I must consolidate my master's rule. So, together with Earl Zorc of Gray City, I came up with this policy. If implemented, it will surely make most nobles rich quickly. And as long as they can make money, they will acknowledge Earl Bob's rule. After all, as long as they can make gold, isn't it all the same who they kneel to?"
"However, if you and Duke Keshi ordered the abolition of this policy in the first month after you arrived at Goringburg, it would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among the nobles who benefited from it. If it were Baron Zorc, he certainly wouldn't have done it so directly. He would also have been aware of the drawbacks of this decree, but considering the loyalty of the various lords, he would have adopted a more roundabout and tactful approach."
Upon hearing this, Bekas's carotid artery bulged, veins popped on his forehead, and his entire face turned red.
"Traitor!" he cursed through gritted teeth.
When White heard this word, his face showed an expression of disbelief:
"What did you say?!"
"You traitorous bastard, you actually chose to sacrifice the interests of the plateau and the Lanes family for the sake of a descendant of the forest!"
Traitor! Absolutely despicable!
Becas glared and cursed, spitting a thick wad of phlegm at White's feet.
White laughed, then spread his hands in protest:
"Don't forget, Pegasus, I am the herald of Goringburg, not the nanny and butler of the Lyons family. Besides, when I arrived at this castle, there wasn't a trace of the Lyons family here."
"If Master Ivan were still alive, he would never have approved of this policy, and yet he died mysteriously in the first year after Bob was commissioned. He must have died in a despicable conspiracy; he must have been murdered!"
"What does this have to do with me?" White rolled his eyes. "When he died, I was still waiting to be summoned to the Herald Academy!"
"I can leave the past behind," Pegasus roared, "but now you are loyal to Casey Lines, you are a vassal of the Lines family, and you should consider the family's interests in everything you do. So why are you still opposing the ban on mineral exports!"
“I have no objection,” White said, frowning. “I just think the manner and timing were inappropriate. If it were Baron Zorke…”
he-"
"A gift!"
White was speaking when Pegasus suddenly drew his sword, making a sharp and piercing sound.
"Still at Baron Zorki! You damned bastard!"
Pegasus shoved White and the chair to the ground, his other hand gripping a sword, the tip pressed against White's neck.
"Are you still in contact with the traitors of Gray City?"
White was clearly terrified; his eyes trembled uncontrollably, and his face was filled with disbelief and incomprehension.
After he calmed down, he just glared angrily at Pegasus.
He then used his fingers to pry the blade off his throat and slowly got up.
He dusted himself off, glared at Pegasus, and then left the room.
At this point, Pegasus finally calmed down completely.
He picked up the chair and sat down himself.
Gazing at the unsheathed sword in his hand, he ran the five fingers of his left hand through his gray-white hair.
"What am I doing—"
Recalling the scene just now, he realized that he was in the wrong and that he should never have drawn his sword.
However, if he had to do it all over again, he estimated he would do the same thing.
Regardless of White's previous stance, he did indeed do things that were detrimental to the Lines family.
And this was something he absolutely could not tolerate.
Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it anymore. White has left, and he has no intention of agreeing to the other party's suggestion.
but.-
"I really am getting old—"
Pegasus shook his head. If he were ten years younger, he would never have lost control of his emotions because of this.
He is no longer young, but there is still much he should do.
The plateau has not yet been completely recovered, and Kashi's future is still not smooth and worry-free.
With each passing day, he will only grow older and weaker.
That's why he became so anxious and worried, and with just a little trigger, he lost control of his emotions.
The biggest obstacle to his current goal is the Zorc family of Gray City.
If White hadn't mentioned that name, Pegasus wouldn't have resorted to violence.
Pegasus composed himself and began to consider how to conquer the three cities.
As night fell, Pegasus reluctantly left the room.
He didn't come up with any new ideas.
A few days later, grain theft occurred in the camp.
The food crisis is spreading throughout the plateau, and if it is not dealt with seriously, such incidents will inevitably fester and grow.
Pegasus then ordered all the prisoners to be brought before the army and beheaded as a warning to others.
Pegasus personally carried out the executions, beheading all the prisoners.
This was not the first time Bekas had carried out an execution by beheading, but in the past, he would always confess to the Lord before the execution.
Now, his heart is no longer shaken by killing; it is chillingly cold. He believes this is the change that "Frostflow Kill" has brought him.
If Mr. Mosley's "turning into ice" meant giving him a heart of ice, impervious to death, then he felt that...
This is by no means a bad thing.
He must be ruthless to help Kathy reclaim the entire plateau.
With food supplies dwindling day by day, Pegasus knew he couldn't wait any longer.
In the afternoon, he convened a meeting attended by people who all had experience leading troops in battle.
Bekas hopes to pool everyone's wisdom to come up with a feasible strategy today.
Everyone sat around the long table, listening attentively to Bekas's presentation.
However, everyone's attitude was surprisingly unified, and they were very pessimistic about it.
"The biggest problem now is the lack of provisions," said Sir Cooper.
Coach Robert agreed: "Gorlinburg has the most fertile and vast pea fields on the plateau. We are already short of food, and the other lords are even more so. Therefore, there are not many lords who can support this battle. In the worst case, we will have to fight alone."
Bekas retorted, "We lack food, but don't those three lack it too? The entire highland region suffered a poor harvest, including those three." Sir Mikhail replied, "Sir Burne, they probably don't lack it at all."
Upon hearing this, Pegasus looked puzzled. "How did you know?"
"The plateau has always been an isolated and difficult place to live in. Even slight changes in the climate have a significant impact on us. Therefore, this is by no means the first time the plateau has faced a food crisis."
Mikhail was analyzing the situation when he suddenly changed the subject and posed a question to Bekas.
"But, Jue Tu, have you ever considered why we've never heard of any past crop failures being this difficult?"
Pegasus shook his head.
"That's because food can not only be grown, but also bought," Mikhail revealed the answer. "Gold, although it can't be eaten directly..."
But there are a hundred ways to inflate our bellies.
"But why can't we buy it this year?" Pegasus asked.
Sir Cooper replied, "My lord, you must not forget that the kingdom has never recognized Lord Keshi's rule, therefore the lords outside the plateau cannot openly trade with us."
"Smuggling could get us food," Coach Robert said, "but it might cost three to five times as much as before."
"If it can be exchanged for food," Pegasus answered without hesitation, "I'll give you as much gold as you want."
"So we must now address the second obstacle, my lord," Mikhail said, "which three cities have we failed to capture?"
Pegasus blurted out, "Grey City, Stone Bridge Tower, and Iron Chain Fortress."
Mikhail pointed to the location of the stone bridge tower on the plateau map on the table.
"The plateau has only two exits. The gentle slope to the east is undoubtedly the route for most lords to enter and exit the plateau."
Looking at the stone bridge tower on the map, Pegasus suddenly realized.
This city is a tower built on both sides of a natural stone bridge. The stone bridges within the city greatly shorten the journey in and out of the plateau.
With this hostile city refusing to leave, it's impossible for them to allow Goringburg and its supporters to pass through.
However, if one chooses to take a detour, the Stone Bridge Tower can send troops to harass and plunder.
Therefore, even if smuggling grain was successful, it was difficult to transport it back to the various castles.
Mikhail seemed to realize that Bekas already knew the strategic significance of the Stone Bridge Tower, so he did not elaborate further.
Instead, it points to another city located in the southwest of the map:
"The other entrance and exit is the Iron Chain Fortress."
"Hmm, another enemy city," Robert remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"The Chain Fortress was built on a sheer cliff. The Wess family spent eight hundred years creating an iron chain system that connected the high plateau to the ground."
Mikhail explained, sliding his finger towards Gray City again, "And Chain Fortress is adjacent to Gray City, making it difficult to sever communication between the two cities. Chain Fortress can continuously obtain supplies from below the plateau."
And transported to Gray City.
"Therefore, these three cities have no need to worry about food at all," Cooper concluded with a shrug. "They can afford to wait, but we can't."
Bekas's wrinkled face was filled with resentment.
He remained stubborn and unwilling to give up:
"But if we can achieve a swift victory, avoiding a stalemate and at a loss, and capture any one of the three cities in a single battle—"
Upon hearing this, Cooper couldn't help but laugh:
"This is the plateau, Sir Bourne. Perhaps a food crisis only occurs every now and then. But the air is always polluted! High-intensity combat in this desolate land is tantamount to suicide. I bet half your soldiers will be unconscious before you break down a city gate or capture a city wall."
Bekas was speechless. He had lived on the plateau for most of his life and knew that altitude sickness was difficult to overcome and that it affected all living beings equally.
This situation seems to have reached a dead end.
To capture those three cities, we must first besiege them.
To effectively besiege a city, it is essential to ensure ample supplies.
However, to ensure adequate supplies, at least one high-altitude exit must be captured.
At this point, Coach Robert asked, "However, as long as we weather this food crisis, everything will be fine. I'm curious, Sir Bern, why are you in such a hurry to take those three cities?"
Pegasus looked up at the crowd and asked in return:
"Haven't you heard? The royal family seems to be planning to intervene in the internal strife on the plateau."
“I have heard about it,” Cooper said. “The invasion back then was indeed an unjust act by the royal family. Now that the Lines family has returned, it’s to be expected that they will be uneasy and want to get involved.”
"However, Claude Sinclair has been dead for over a decade," Coach Robert denied. "Does the old king really have the energy to intervene in the war now? I doubt the reliability of this intelligence."
"There's no rule that the king must participate in battle," Mikhail shrugged dismissively.
At this moment, Cooper looked at White, the herald who had been sitting to the side without uttering a word:
"Master White, what do you think?"
Upon hearing this, White looked at everyone and finally fixed his gaze on Pegasus.
Pegasus let out a deep breath and nodded toward Whitey.
White said, "Regardless of whether it's true or not, unifying the plateau as soon as possible will be beneficial and without drawbacks. Otherwise, if we are caught in a pincer movement of internal and external troubles, we may find it difficult to catch our breath."
Mikhail shook his head: "Everyone understands this principle, but as I just analyzed, given the current situation, it's impossible to take those three cities in a short time."
White suddenly smiled slyly:
"War is indeed difficult to win quickly, but loyalty does not necessarily have to be gained through hostility."
Pegasus's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked:
"Master White, what are your proposals?"
"Appeasement," White said, "through marriage!"
Bekas shook his head and said, "Natalie is Bob Capello's nominal fiancée, and her whereabouts are still unknown."
"Sir Byrne," White said with a smile, "I never said that I would use Natalie as a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance."
Upon hearing this, everyone present froze.
Pegasus frowned even more: "Your Grace—is not yet of age."
"Natalie was only eleven or twelve when she got engaged," White said with a sneer.
"You want His Majesty the Duke to marry a traitor?!" Pegasus slammed his fist on the table in anger.
"The difference between loyalty and treachery is just a kneecap," White said. "And the remaining three cities will undoubtedly revolve around Gray City. Once Gray City submits, the other two cities will surely follow suit, and then Lord Kathy will be able to unify the plateau in an instant!"
Then, another silence fell.
After a long while, Coach Robert observed everyone's expressions before speaking:
"Maybe—perhaps, this is a good decision."
"If we can win without bloodshed, there's really no need to fight to the death," Cooper nodded in agreement.
Mikhail looked at Pegasus: "My lord, what do you think?"
"Hmm...—..·"
Pegasus pondered for a moment.
He was exceptionally skilled in martial arts, yet he never craved fighting.
Pegasus is willing to try if victory can be achieved without bloodshed.
To simply let him decide his master's life-long happiness... this! This...
"I need to think about it."
Afterwards, Bekas dismissed the meeting.
He stayed in the room alone and thought for another two hours, but made no progress.
That evening, Pegasus found Cathy in the Duke's bedroom.
"grown ups."
"Pegasus, is something the matter?"
"It's nothing," Pegasus said, sitting down next to Kathy. "I—I just came to check on your progress in your studies today."
"Every teacher says I've improved, but I feel like I'm no different from yesterday," Cathy said, looking down.
"Sir, progress is hard to notice, especially for oneself, but every teacher can always see even the slightest change in a student."
Kathy smiled at Bekas, and his orange-yellow curly hair made him look like a sweet fruit.
"Thank you, Pegasus, you always encourage me."
"Encouragement is necessary, but, sir—"
As he spoke, Pegasus bobbed his Adam's apple, as if making a decision, and said to Kathy,
"Our encouragement is certainly helpful, but some people's encouragement can give you even more strength—I mean, adults!"
At this point, Pegasus looked at Kathy with a serious expression.
"Um?"
Kathy looked confused and tilted her head in bewilderment.
"Sir, is there anyone in particular you'd like to hear encouragement from?"
"have!"
Upon hearing this reply, Pegasus's heart skipped a beat, and he froze in his chair.
After a long pause, he said stiffly:
"Oh, really? — Who is that person?"
"my mother!"
Upon receiving the answer, Pegasus's body instantly went limp, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Anything else?"
"Hmm—nothing special, nothing special."
"What if your wife encourages you?"
“I don’t have a wife, Pegasus,” Cathy said, puzzled. “I’m only thirteen.”
Pegasus paused for a moment, then took a deep breath and solemnly said:
"Sir, suppose I found you a wife, or rather, a fiancée—what would you think of that?"
Kathy's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed again.
He smiled and asked Pegasus:
"Is it an arranged marriage?"
"Um-..
"Then it's your decision."
"Talk? Sir, you have absolutely no objection?"
"Reggie told me about this a long time ago. Arranged marriages are one of the methods used by nobles. I've long been prepared to marry a girl I don't even know. Pegasus, you're probably thinking of me for my own good, or rather, for my family and my territory, right?"
"Yes, I have absolutely no disloyal intentions."
Pegasus lowered his head and placed his right hand in front of his heart.
"Well, then go ahead and make your decision. I'll accept it. Pegasus, you've done so much for me, I've seen it all, but I'm too stupid to help you much. But I think I shouldn't at least cause trouble. Hey, Pegasus, I've been pretty obedient all this time, haven't I?"
"Listen—listen.—Of course I'll listen."
Bekas knelt on the ground and grabbed Cathy's right hand tightly with both hands.
He lowered his head, clenching his slightly loose teeth, but the pattern of the carpet in his vision became increasingly blurry and indistinct.
Then he saw large drops of water fall, the dampness darkening the carpet's color.
What an understanding master he is—Pegasus thought—it is my honor to follow him, and I will remain loyal to him until death!
A tiny hand rested on his head.
He remembered that he would always comfort Cathy in this way when she cried.
Ever since Reggie told Cathy that they were going to start their plan, Cathy has been a completely different person; she hasn't cried at all.
Perhaps it was his determination to become strong.
But Bekas never imagined that he would be comforted by Cathy like this.
Pegasus understood that, as a subject, he shouldn't act this way.
But tonight, he wanted to be impulsive just this once.
His forehead gradually rested on Cathy's knee.
Feeling the warmth of Cathy's hand, sweat still dripped from the corners of his eyes.
The next day, he told White that he had agreed to the marriage proposal.
Negotiating on behalf of one's master is the duty of a herald officer, and White immediately set off.
A few days later, White brought back good news: the negotiations were successful.
Kathy will marry the five-year-old granddaughter of the Baron of Gray City.
Becas instructed White to immediately reply to the Duke that he had agreed to the marriage, but demanded that the lords of Grey City, Stonebridge Tower, and Iron Chain Fortress come to Goringburg immediately to swear allegiance to the Duke.
White made another trip and told Pegasus with a smile:
"Baron Zorc said that the three lords would certainly come with engagement gifts."
A month later, the appointed day arrived.
The lords of the three cities, each escorted by five hundred soldiers, arrived outside Goringburg.
Pegasus decreed that only those with knighthood could enter Goringburg.
He told White, "Only the herald can remember the faces of all the nobles and their relatives. Master White, do not let any suspicious persons into the castle."
White curtsied to Beccas and said with a smile:
"Don't worry, Sir Bourne, I've got it covered!"
Pegasus, accompanied by Kathy, arrived at the audience hall early.
Kathy sat on the high seat, with Pegasus protecting her on either side.
White presided over the swearing-in ceremony.
The honor guard played melodious music, and the ceremony officially began.
Only after receiving Kathy's permission were the three city lords allowed to enter the audience hall.
The three knelt on one knee before Cathy and swore an oath of absolute loyalty.
Pegasus finally breathed a sigh of relief when the three of them stood up.
He smiled; he was genuinely happy.
Kashi has finally unified the plateau!
The Lines family has finally regained its position completely!
Pegasus's lifelong ambition has finally been realized!
Baron Zorc smiled and said, "I look forward to your marriage to my daughter soon."
Upon hearing this, Pegasus regained his composure.
He said with a serious expression, "We can choose a date to get married when both of us are of legal age."
"Yes," Baron Zorc nodded slightly, "and I also have prepared an engagement gift, please accept it, Your Highness."
White replied, "Bring it here."
Baron Zorc clapped his hands, and several men carried a large chest and placed it in the center of the hall.
Watching those people begin to open the boxes, Pegasus asked:
"Baron, what gift have you prepared?"
"Hehehe.——"
Zorc let out a series of comical laughs, took a step back, and waved for the gifts to be brought out.
When Pegasus saw the "gift," he couldn't help but widen his eyes. It was a stiff, humanoid object with a bloodless face and black veins covering its skin.
The most terrifying thing was those eyes, dim and dark as the underworld—
Zorc finally revealed the answer:
"This is but a small token of my respect; please accept this demon as a gift!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the people supporting the demon immediately began chanting incantations.
Pegasus instantly realized that these people were not nobles, but rather...
wizard!
Whatever they intend to do, they are absolutely malicious and will surely be extremely vicious!
Pegasus drew his sword, intending to stop them, but—.
It's too late.
The demon suddenly twitched and let out a scream.
Then, his entire body exploded.
A pool of black, unidentified liquid splashed into every corner of the hall.
The liquid began to wriggle and spread until it covered every inch of the nearby stone bricks.
Then, terrifying shapes suddenly appeared on the liquid: some looked like human arms, some like human heads, and some like the outline of human upper bodies.
Those eerie black shapes stretched outwards as far as they could.
It was as if the black liquid was the threshold of hell, and the human-shaped outlines were living people trying to climb out of hell.
A soldier standing in the hall was grabbed by those hands, and he frantically swung his halberd at the strange substances.
However, those things heal quickly after being cut open.
No matter how hard the soldier struggled, he could not break free from those things.
Gradually, the soldiers were dragged into the black liquid.
Seeing that something was wrong, Bekas immediately picked up Cathy and rushed out of the hall.
When he came outside and looked back, he realized that the entire main castle had been swallowed up by the black substance.
Furthermore, it also shows a tendency to expand outwards.
Pegasus didn't know how to stop it, nor did he know if this strange substance had any end in its invasion.
This means that there is no safe place left in the entire castle.
Therefore, it is necessary to get Cathy away from here temporarily and seek refuge.
At that moment, he saw Coach Robert, who was escaping.
He grabbed Coach Robert: "Protect the Duke and get him to Whitewood City!"
Although Coach Robert looked annoyed, he quickly nodded in agreement.
"And you?" Cathy asked.
“I have to stay here and direct things,” Pegasus said. “The fact that the Zorc family is here means there must be a way to deal with this, but I can’t let you take that risk.”
"Hmm—" Casey nodded obediently. "Be careful, Pegasus—"
"I will."
At this moment, Robert brought over a horse.
Pegasus thought for a moment and said to Kathy:
"If you're really desperate, go to O'Brien Bay. There's a library there. Ask the librarian for help."
Kathy nodded, and Robert helped him onto the horse.
The horses headed toward the city gate, while Kathy turned to look at Pegasus.
Pegasus gritted his teeth and finally shouted:
"Kathy!"
"Um?"
"You have the blood of the plateau and the ocean flowing in your veins."
After saying that, Pegasus turned around and faced the strange object.
He tried to attack, and he discovered that his frost could freeze the black liquid!
then.
Treading on frost!
He stomped his right foot hard, and a layer of blue frost covered the black water.
Pegasus, on the other hand, walks on the frost.
Soon, he discovered White.
White was about to be swallowed by the black water, so Pegasus rushed forward and used his martial arts to freeze the black water around White.
Bekas helped White up: "Are you alright, Master White?"
Fear filled White's eyes, but he still shook his head.
Pegasus said, "Follow me!"
After saying that, he turned around.
Then he saw a fully armed soldier appear directly in front of him.
The other party drew his broadsword and got into a fighting stance.
Surprisingly, the black water chose to deliberately avoid this warrior.
Pegasus understood that this person must be an assassin brought by Zorc.
So he gripped his sword tightly, ready to use his martial arts skills to end the battle quickly.
However, at this time—
He felt a twist in his chest, and a sharp pain rushed to his head.
Pegasus lowered his head, and a short sword pierced his heart and went through his body.
Turning around, he discovered that the person he was holding hands with was none other than White!
That's right!
He had clearly instructed that suspicious persons were not allowed to enter the castle, so why were wizards and such warriors allowed into the audience hall?
Ha, there's only one possibility: White deliberately let them in.
However, Bekas was not in the mood to care about such a trivial matter.
He was curious why he hadn't noticed White's plan to ambush him—he should have been able to sense it if someone showed him murderous intent.
Turning into frost—.
Mr. Mosley's words echoed in his mind.
And he has indeed recently noticed that his perception of death has become weaker.
Oh, I see. That's what it means.
He already possessed one, one unaware of death—
Heart of Frost!
He gripped his sword tightly, thinking he could at least kill White, but the next moment—
White started spinning around him.
The warrior also circled around him.
The world is spinning!
Finally, he discovered a headless corpse wielding a longsword, also spinning—
"I see," Pegasus thought, "that was me."
Then, his gaze stopped moving.
He saw a huge stone seat.
That was the throne passed down through generations of the Lines family, and it was also the goal that Pegasus had strived for his entire life.
But.-.
A strange, black substance is slowly engulfing it.
But, until the very end.
No one was sitting on it.