Wearing black silk for a foreign woman

Guillem Proyeux, male, sixteen years old, the only son of Guillem VIII, Duke of Aquitaine of the Kingdom of Batorland. Since he has the same name as his father, he is generally called Guillem IX to distinguish him.

As a tradition of the Knights of the Kingdom of Batoran, every knight will embark on a journey to complete the Knight's Trial after reaching adulthood. In order to avoid extinction, knights born of noble families, especially noble families, would first get married and give birth to offspring before embarking on a journey.

But Jiyang IX could not wait any longer, because not long ago, he received divine revelation from the Lady of the Lake in his dream.

"Sir, we are about to arrive at Victory. What should we do next?" Ji Yang IX asked respectfully to a man in a robe.

Chapter 342 Mr. Cardo

Horses are a very important means of transportation, whether they are ridden directly or used to pull carts. Before the invention of cars, horses were the dominant means of transportation.

In Batoran, the status of horses is even higher than in other places. The origin of the Kingdom of Batoran is closely related to knights, and the relationship between knights and horses is extremely close. Therefore, in Batoran, horses as an animal are shrouded in a sacred light.

Specifically, only noble nobles were qualified to ride horses, and commoners were not qualified to ride horses or even use horses. In Batoran, the punishment for nobles who made mistakes was to be forbidden to ride horses, and the nobles felt very ashamed of this punishment, and would rather commit suicide than not ride horses.

In Batoran, those who can ride horses are nobles, and those who can ride horses are knights.

But among this group of knights, there was one on horseback who was obviously not a knight.

Among the twenty knights in armor, there was one man who had no metal on his body. He was wearing a black robe, dressed like a magician, with silver-white hair shaved into a flat top, and a silver-white beard around his mouth. He was in his early forties.

Although he was dressed like a civilian and had no sharp weapons on his body, he gave people a feeling that he was very capable in fighting, because his eyebrows were like sharp swords.

In a group of knights wearing armor, not wearing armor is already very eye-catching, but what attracts the most attention is his mount. On the top of his mount's head, there is a sharp horn, and he rides a unicorn.

And it’s rainbow colored.

In Batoran culture, unicorns have a noble and unique status, and those who can ride a unicorn will be treated with courtesy by everyone in Batoran, from farmers to the king. But for this person, everyone who knows something about the habits of unicorns will feel strange from the bottom of their hearts.

Jiyang IX was the leader of this team, but when speaking to this man who was obviously of extraordinary status, Jiyang IX's tone was full of humility and respect, without a trace of arrogance.

Hearing Ji Yang IX's question, the middle-aged man who had been resting with his eyes closed opened his eyes, revealing eyes as sharp as an eagle. He first opened his eyes and looked at the respectful Ji Yang IX, then looked ahead, and when he found that he had not yet reached Victor, he slowly closed his eyes again.

"We haven't reached Velcro yet. Call me when we get there." The middle-aged man said and closed his eyes again.

"Okay, I'm sorry to disturb your meditation, Master." Ji Yang IX felt very sorry for disturbing the middle-aged man before he even arrived at the place, and apologized respectfully.

"Who is that person?" All the accompanying knights saw the respectful look of King Jiyang IX. One of the knights couldn't help but ask his colleague next to him again.

"You have asked me this question eight times, my dear brother." The knight who was asked replied helplessly. "I give you the same answer for the eighth time. I don't know either."

"He can ride the sacred unicorn, which proves that he is a clergyman serving the Lady of the Lake." The knight who asked the question continued. "It is said that only pure virgins can ride on the back of the sacred unicorn, but..."

"You asked me the same question eight times, and I answered you the eighth time: I don't know."

In Batoran, in addition to common horses, there are other special mounts, such as Pegasus and unicorns. In the Kingdom of Batoran, unicorns are the messengers of the Lady of the Lake. Like the Fairy of the Lake, they represent the sacred Lady of the Lake. The unicorn's horn contains the powerful magic of the Lady of the Lake, and can use powerful magic.

But the problem is, the person on the horse has nothing to do with the adjective of pure virgin. Putting aside whether she is a virgin, is she a woman!? Do women have beards!? And when the knights went to the toilet, they secretly looked at it, and the penis they took out was bigger than most of them.

Compared to the rider, the color of the unicorn is a trivial matter.

The knights had had similar discussions privately many times along the way. Everyone was puzzled by this strange middle-aged man in black robes, but no one knew his identity except Jiyang IX.

"By the way, what was his name?"

"This is the first time you ask me this question." The knight smiled. "I've heard the young master call you Cardo before."

"Cado? What a strange name."

"Yeah, that's a weird name."

After a short rest, the team continued to set off, heading in the direction of Velcro. The ruins of the immigrant city built by the Holy Empire was their first destination.

Since they were new here and the members of this team had never been to Ivozhen Island before, no one knew where Victor was. Just when Jiyang IX was worried about this, he was surprised to find that the beastmen on Ivozhen Island were quite intelligent.

Faced with this situation, Jiyang IX was overjoyed, so after the usual massacre of the village, he generously allowed a beastman to live for a few more days to act as a guide, and after arriving at the destination, he very mercifully ended its life in the least painful way.

"The beastmen here are very different from those in other places." After setting out again, Ji Yang IX passed by the beastman who had served as a guide not long ago. At this time, he had turned into a corpse with his body parts separated and his body temperature was rapidly dropping.

"It may be due to the different environments." The adjutant beside King Jiyang IX answered. "The same animal will change in different areas. For example, horses grow tall and mighty in Batoran, but short and ugly in the mountains of dwarves, just like those dwarves."

"Of course! Only in the sacred Batorland can horses grow tall and majestic! Especially the horses of Aquitaine! They are even better!"

"Is it the difference in environment? Thank you for your advice, my dear adjutant. You are indeed my father's old subordinate. You are really knowledgeable!"

"Thank you for your compliment, Master. But no matter how much the beastmen mutate, they are no match for you, Master!"

As a group of knights were talking, the immigrants passed by the beastmen's bodies one after another. Unlike the knights, the peasants' eyes were full of numbness and uneasiness when they passed by the beastmen's bodies.

Anxiety about the future.

Soon, the team arrived at the ruins of Vicro, which was still in a burned state.

"We're here, Mr. Cardo." After arriving in Victory, Ji Yang IX immediately looked at Cardo beside him impatiently.

"Yeah." Cardo nodded, then reached into his pocket and took out a stack of cards.

Chapter 343 Knight Trial

This team from the Kingdom of Batoran and the Duchy of Aquitaine has nearly a thousand people. Except for about two hundred combat units, the rest are all simple farmers.

But to some extent, it's not a problem that all these 1,000 people are soldiers. The peasants of Batoran dare to go to the battlefield with only a pitchfork, which is famous throughout the Old World.

After a long voyage and a not-so-short journey after landing, the immigrant team arrived at their first destination, the Holy Empire's colony, Velo. This was originally the Holy Empire's territory, but now it has become a ruin.

Ruins mean no one's land. The knights and their followers first quickly checked the ruins and confirmed that there were no survivors. Then, an eagle claw blood lion flag, which symbolized the Pruwa family, was planted on the ruins of Vicro.

"According to the pioneering decree issued by the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Batoran, the great Karl I, I, one of the twelve paladins of Batoran and a descendant of Armand of Aquitaine, Guillon IX Pruy, hereby declare! This is my territory!"

The leader of the team, the young Guillon IX, personally planted the flag symbolizing the Pruyas family in the center of the ruins of Vicro and unilaterally declared that this was his territory.

After the announcement, the crowd around cheered loudly. The cheers came from the accompanying knights and their followers, and as for the peasants...

"What are you still standing here for? You lazy, lowly people!" After the brief ceremony, Jiyang IX immediately shouted at the surrounding farmers. "Hurry up and open up the wasteland! Build houses! And take down your gifts! I have been very kind and exempted you from the 19th tax for a year! Hurry up and get to work!"

Under the words of Guiyang IX and the urging of the sword at their waist, the farmers with numb eyes began to move one after another. At this time when winter is not far away, leaving their homes and crossing the sea to come to this unfamiliar island, even the numb old farmers would not want to do such a ridiculous thing, but there is no way, who told them that they are tenants of the knight master?

The farmers didn't know why the young master of the Ploys family suddenly had the urge to lead a team of immigrants here, and they were not qualified to know. They could only passively follow and come to this strange land.

The knights of Batoran were not familiar with managing the land, and often left it to the peasants to do it themselves, as long as they could pay the taxes. As the order was issued, the peasants instinctively began to work.

"This group of lazy peasants have no idea what honor is." Looking at this group of slow peasants, the childish Jiyang IX raised his chin high. "Send someone to supervise them. I require that within a week, a simple camp suitable for wintering be built."

"Yes!" Soon, a knight attendant accepted the order, turned around and ordered his knight attendant to go and act as supervisors.

"Master." Another follower said respectfully to Ji Yang IX. "We have arrived at Velo. It is indeed a ruin as you said. Before we set out, you said that you would tell us the purpose of this trip after you have defeated Velo. Now that we are here, can you please give us your instructions?"

"Of course, my dear brother." Jiyang IX nodded and looked around him. All the accompanying knights were looking at Jiyang IX, waiting for his explanation.

In the Kingdom of Batoran, knights have a tradition of going out for trials, especially nobles with titles. According to the laws of the Kingdom of Batoran, all heirs of hereditary nobles must complete an outing trial before inheriting the title.

This tradition has lasted for nearly five hundred years and has existed since the founding of the Kingdom of Batoran. It can be said to be one of the foundations of Batoran.

The history of the Kingdom of Batoran dates back to the Great War. After the Great War, Neos, who had not yet sat on the Golden Throne, unified almost all the human tribes at the time and established the Holy Empire. After the establishment of the Holy Empire, due to the increase in population, the increase in the number of nobles, and insufficient territory, some people left the territory of the Holy Empire and embarked on the journey of expanding the territory.

The Kingdom of Batoran was born during this period.

When the Holy Empire was established, the west of the empire was originally the territory of the elves, and the elves were allies of the Order side in the Great War, so this should not be the direction of territorial expansion. But after the Great War, the elves themselves had internal strife and were divided into three parts. Among them, the elves in the current territory of Batoran became independent and were called nature elves.

After the elves split, humans recognized the high elves on Atlan as orthodox and continued the covenant, but the elves did not. Without the covenant, there is nothing to say. The first king of the Kingdom of Batoran, a knight known as the Great Karl in later generations, led twelve followers to attack the present-day Batoran area and eventually established the Kingdom of Batoran.

Since the first generation of the country was born as a knight, Batoran has become a country of knights since then. Unlike the relatively independent status of the knights of the Holy Empire, all nobles in Batoran must be knights. If you want to inherit your father's title, you must complete the knight's trial, that is, travel outside, and make a name for yourself.

Originally, the followers who followed Guillon IX thought that he was going out to complete the trial and prepare for succession, after all, Guillon IX was his father's only son. The current Duke of Aquitaine, Guillon VIII, had only one daughter besides Guillon IX, who was Guillon IX's sister. And because Guillon VIII's testicles were bitten off by a jackal pretending to be dead in a battle with beastmen, it was impossible for Guillon VIII to have other children.

But this trip was full of anomalies. The trial that was supposed to bring a few followers turned into an immigration, and the destination was an island far away from the mainland, and it was also in the early winter, which was not suitable for opening up new land.

But Guillon IX was obviously serious. Not only that, he also got the permission from the old duke and even the king.

"I'm sorry, my respected brothers, I didn't tell you the truth before because I was worried that the information would be leaked." Jiyang IX smiled. "Now that we have arrived at the city of Vickro on Ivozhen Island, I will tell you the real reason why we are here!"

"Mr. Cardo!" Jiyang IX said loudly to the black-robed man who closed his eyes again. "Do you want to say it or should I?"

"You tell it, sir." Cardo said calmly, still with his eyes closed.

"Well, let me announce this glorious mission!" said Jiyang IX. "Everyone! The Holy Grail is on Ivozhen Island!"

Chapter 344: Searching for the Holy Grail

Holy Grail!? When this word came out of the still childish voice of Guiyang IX, all the knights present showed uncontrollable changes of emotion on their faces.

There were surprise, confusion, suspicion, all kinds of emotions, but soon, all the knights' faces were filled with astonishment.

"Excuse me, my lord." After Guiyang IX finished speaking, a young knight who looked to be in his early twenties asked Guiyang IX respectfully but with suspicion, "Excuse me, where did you get this news?"

"What? Do you think that your master, the embodiment of chivalrous virtues and the descendant of Armand, one of the Twelve Paladins, would deceive you with lies? "Ji Yang IX widened his eyes and glared at the person who asked the question.

"Of course not! My dear sir! I didn't mean to offend you!" The knight who asked the question lowered his head in fear. "It's just that in the distant past, the Holy Grail was lost long ago, and there have been people who claimed to have news of the Holy Grail, but unfortunately, time has proven that they are all shameless liars who deceived the noble knights, so..."

The knight's meaning was very clear, he just wanted to confirm with King Guiyang IX where the news came from.

"Your concerns are understandable, but those lowly liars can't deceive a wise man like me." Jiyang IX raised his head and said, "My information was given to me by the Lady of the Lake in a dream!"

As a direct descendant of Armand of Aquitaine, one of the Twelve Paladins, Guillen IX has always strictly required himself to uphold the virtues of chivalry, especially when there are other people around, so he often goes too far.

The downside is that communicating with him feels a bit like performing a stage play, but the upside is that you don't have to worry about him telling lies.

"The Lady of the Lake!? Really!? The Lady of the Lake appeared in your dream!?" Upon hearing the name of the Lady of the Lake, all the knights became as excited as bulls in heat.

It's not a metaphor, it's a statement.

"Of course it's true!" Ji Yang IX said proudly.

The Lady of the Lake is the main deity of the Kingdom of Batoran, and her status is similar to that of the God-Emperor in the Holy Empire. However, in the Kingdom of Batoran, only the religion of the Lady of the Lake is allowed to exist, and all other gods and religions are not allowed to operate or preach, including the God-Emperor religion.

According to legend, before the establishment of the Kingdom of Batolan, King Carl and his twelve followers met the Lady of the Lake in a lake. The Lady of the Lake took out a holy cup filled with holy water and asked Carl and his twelve followers to drink it. After that, Carl and his twelve followers gained powerful strength and eventually defeated the natural elves and established the Kingdom of Batolan.

After that, finding the Holy Grail became the ultimate goal of every Bartholomew Knight, but nearly five hundred years have passed, and still no knight has found the legendary Holy Grail.

"Before I set out, the goddess of the lake summoned me in a dream." Jiyang IX recounted his experience with a look of enthusiasm and piety. "In a sacred lake, the goddess of the lake walked out of the lake. The goddess's face was as beautiful as the legend. Even the most beautiful woman in the world could not compare to a single hair of hers. Even now, whenever I recall her face, I will..."

At this point, Jiyang IX showed an expression that every man could understand. Under the Dio-shaped lower body armor, he raised his flag with his hands raised high.

The bull in heat is not a metaphor; it is a statement.

"In my dream, the Lady of the Lake told me that she had chosen me to complete the trial of the Holy Grail. As long as I complete the trial, I will get the real Holy Grail!"

"And Master Cardo is my guide!"

The topic turned to Cardo, and the knights finally learned about Cardo's identity and why King Guiyang IX respected him so much.

"So that's how it is!" The knights suddenly realized, but then they became confused again. "Then Master Cardo, um..."

"Is it a boy?" Ji Yang IX expressed the other party's confusion first.

"Exactly?"

"Master Cardo, please explain." Ji Yang IX smiled and gave Cardo the opportunity to explain.

Due to the female status of the Lady of the Lake, all the clergy of the Lady of the Lake are women, without exception, from the lowest priests to the highest patriarchs. Some people outside say that the clergy of the Lady of the Lake are all women, which is a small move by the Knights of Batoran to satisfy some of their desires.

Knights protect beauties. The knights of Batoran protect the saint who represents the Lady of the Lake. Those who understand will understand.

This situation makes Cardo's gender awkward.

Cardo didn't waste any words. He raised his hand and summoned a female shadow out of thin air.

"Lady of the Lake!" The knights knelt down immediately upon seeing this. The ability to summon the phantom of the Lady of the Lake was a divine art that only high-ranking clergy of the Lady of the Lake could master.

"It seems that you no longer have any doubts about Master Cardo's identity?" Seeing this, Ji Yang IX said with a smile, which was met with a uniform shake of the head.

"Next, Master Cardo will guide us to find the Holy Grail. Not only me, but you, my followers, will also have the honor of drinking from the Holy Grail!" Jiyang IX announced loudly. "But finding the Holy Grail will not be an easy task. There will definitely be countless difficulties waiting for us next! Will you back down!?"

"Of course not!"

"Very good!" Jiyang IX nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Cardo. "Master Cardo, what should we do next?"

"Wait." Cardo said simply. "The Lady of the Lake has no new instructions for now. We have to wait here."

"Well then, waiting is also a test given to us by the goddess, and patience is also a virtue that a knight should possess." Jiyang IX nodded.

After Cardo finished speaking, the team led by Jiyang IX used the ruins of Victor as their base and began to build a camp in preparation for a long-term battle.

And Kado, who had kept his eyes closed most of the time, including when riding a horse, suddenly raised his head, slightly opened his eyes, and looked at a pigeon flying overhead.

There was a pigeon flying by, which was nothing, but the way the pigeon flew seemed a little strange to Cardo, as if it was being controlled by something and was flying very reluctantly, as if it wanted to break free at any time.

This strange pigeon circled above the Vickro ruins for a few circles, then turned and flew northeast, quickly disappearing from Cardo's sight.

No one except Cardo noticed this ordinary pigeon flying across the sky. After watching the pigeon disappear, Cardo closed his eyes again.