Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Ryūka looked at the dejected laborers and said in a gentle tone:

"Please forgive me for being a bit harsh just now, but that's how the world is. You have to give something to gain something. Otherwise, you can only pray that your lords and governors will continue to be charitable, placing all your hopes on others and watching them be envious..."

"But you are lucky, because this time you will be in the VIP seats, watching a show that no one has ever seen before, and you will be able to make your next decision much earlier than others..."

"Then, let's go!"

Ryūka gave the final order and then left without looking back.

“You’re such a devil…” Behind Ryusha, Hafren couldn’t help but wipe the cold sweat from her brow, quickly catching up and muttering under her breath, “It seems like you gave them a fair choice, but in reality, you’ve stirred up their passion for war with the strongest desires! With your rhetoric, only more people will regret not going to the battlefield and risking their lives as you suggested…”

"You're absolutely right~ You hypocrite~ Especially the way you try to absolve yourself completely... It's just like when you're trying to pick up girls~"

Melanie couldn't help but tease her, but her icy blue eyes were full of admiration for Ryuka.

"I think you two have something itchy butts."

Ryuu looked a little tired. His speech just now used the two skills of [Leader's Proof] 'Inspire' and 'Call to Arms', but surprisingly it didn't consume too many points. It seems that the rhetoric itself was quite effective for them.

Hetia understood that this was completely different from forcing them to the battlefield using the lord's power or sword. In the past, peasants were always conscripted against their will; serving the lord was their obligation, so they had little fighting spirit and were easily defeated.

Their role for the lord is simply to deplete the enemy knights and mages' resources for sustaining combat. Of course, when knights and mages are few in number, large-scale battles between ordinary soldiers become relatively crucial...

But things are different now. First, these ordinary soldiers have acquired powerful weapons; second, Ryūka has promised rewards for military merit, a privilege usually reserved for knights and mages outside of conscription. The saying "a hefty reward will always attract brave men" is a simple truth; third, Ryūka has stirred up their resentment and desires. Trading their lives as ordinary soldiers for those of the opposing knights and mages is no losing proposition for hot-blooded young men…

For enemy knights and mages, killing an ordinary soldier might not count as a significant military achievement. But for the soldiers of Linhu Territory, killing a knight or mage was a highly coveted military exploit… This difference in the two sides meant they were more willing to risk their lives for each other.

Damn it! Hetia even began to wonder if she would be replaced by a magic gun if she didn't break through to become a Great Knight! Meanwhile, the culprit was pinching Hefren and Melanie's butts with a wicked grin, seemingly unaware of how terrifying what he had done was!

"Wait until we come back after the war, you little tyrant. You can do whatever you want, but..."

Melanie was the boldest; she pinched and tugged at Ryūka's soft, handsome face with her fingers, then licked him with her wet tongue. The quick-witted Melanie then swiftly changed the subject…

"Since you can design magical weapons for ordinary people, you should also be able to design more powerful magical weapons for mages, right?"

Melanie's words startled Hetia and Hafren, who had just been worried that the future knights' status might be replaced by magical weapons, but Melanie's thoughts were completely opposite to theirs...

If there are metal rods that ordinary people can use to emit magical rays, then could there be even more powerful magical weapons for knights with greater physical strength...?

For example, a large magic gun that an ordinary person couldn't lift... according to Ryuka, it should be called a magic cannon, or a magic armor and magic sword that amplifies physical abilities with magic power, or simply modified into an amplification weapon driven by battle aura...

Although they didn't understand the principles of magical technology, nor the essential difference between battle aura and magic power, they always felt that this kid, Liuxia, could do it.

Seeing the eager looks in the female knights' eyes, Ryuka quickly passed the question on to someone else.

"I only offered some ideas; Anjaberger handled all the technical issues. Besides, we still have a war to fight right now..."

But the female knights and mages had no interest in listening to any of this; they all turned their gazes toward Anyaberg, who was looking at Ryuuka with surprise at her 'betrayal of her teammate'.

"Anya, I was pretty good to you back in school, wasn't I?"

"Junior Anjaberg, perhaps I was a bit too harsh when I said magical engineering was useless..."

"Miss Anyaberg, although we're not familiar with each other yet, I believe we can become good friends~"

Surrounded and pulled around, Anyaberg squeezed out from among the three women, her messy red head bristling, and yelled at Ryuka:

"Ryuka! You son of a bitch! Wait! Senior Hetia... you know, I still have a mission His Highness gave me... Ah!!!"

Chapter 17 Frost Iron Knight

Starting from Linhu Town and marching northwest, you will reach Abis City, which is near the northern end of Sochi Territory. This is the headquarters of the 'Anti-Duke Alliance' that supports the Payne family.

As you cross the hills that symbolize the border, the view opens up in the distance. On the plains in the distance, a city only a third the size of Sochi sits on the north bank of the Abis River, which runs east to west. And further north, the earth seems to rise abruptly, with a long, endless mountain range stretching across the land like an ancient dragon lying across the earth.

This is the Mittibi Mountains, rich in mineral resources, and also the northern edge of the Sochi Plain. After crossing the Mittibi Mountains, it's another half a month's journey to reach the northern snowy border controlled by the Payne family.

The territory stretching from the snowy northern frontier to the Mittibi Mountains, while not belonging to the Payne family, had always been under their control. Therefore, the nobles at the northern edge of the Sochi Plain naturally sided with Lady Mara, the wife of Earl Duke…

"It seems they can't be blamed. If the Payne family crosses the Mittibi Mountains, they could easily sweep across the northern part of the Sochi Plain from top to bottom, taking advantage of the terrain."

Ryusha stroked his sword and reined in his horse, looking at the distant city of Abyss. This city, which prospered because of its mineral resources, was practically indefensible to the north, but the Abyss River below the city served as a natural protective barrier for the Sochi Plain to the south.

However, it is winter now... the ice on the Abis River is thick enough for horses to gallop across.

Hetia nodded in agreement: "If I had a mountain pressing down on my head every time I went out, with soldiers watching me from above, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep well either..."

Behind Liuxia, a thousand laborers conscripted from Linhu Territory were shivering in the cold wind. They had thought that being conscripted would at least save them from dying on the battlefield, but the torment of winter marching began to make them realize that this was not a good choice.

Whether it was the knights guarding them or the three hundred new recruits whom Liu Xia had named the 'First Legion of Linhu Territory,' they not only had warm cotton-padded clothes and armor, but also plenty of food and drink along the way. The recruits could even form small teams of twenty, riding in carts pulled by four mules, chatting and laughing on the smooth roads built by Linhu Territory, almost like they were on a picnic. (The last two lines are a nonsensical string of characters and don't translate directly.)

In contrast, they only had their own dry rations, and many couldn't even bite into the bread that couldn't be split by an axe after a winter night. Fortunately, their junior governor wasn't so inhumane and would provide them with potato soup made from snow water as a supplementary food; otherwise, most of them would probably have frozen to death on the way.

At this moment, these laborers were already regretting their actions, wishing they had come as volunteers. Not one dared complain about being mistreated by Ryukyu, as some of the older men among them told them that serving other lords would only result in worse treatment…

At this moment, they all looked towards the small town ahead, and no one knew what their fate would be.

……

Meanwhile, in the lord's hall within the city of Abyss, a group of noble lords were feasting under the warm glow of the fireplace. These noble knights tore at the sweet lamb legs with their powerful jaws, and the rich, blood-like wine flowed down their thick beards as they laughed and chatted loudly in their less-than-refined language.

The hall doors swung open, and a cold wind swept past the sentries standing guard outside, melting the frost on their brows and eyelashes. A knight of commoner origin, braving the wind and snow, entered the hall and bowed.

"Lord Brock, Viscount Tartu of Linhu Territory is about to arrive outside the city."

"Oh ho? This girl actually came? Did she bring the laborers and military supplies we requested?"

"Yes, sir! That group of peasants is trembling on the Abyss! There are over a thousand of them! The supply wagons behind them are too big to see!"

The knight smiled obsequiously, while the nobles at the table burst into scornful laughter.

"So much for the Rose Knights of the capital! It seems they withered away once they experienced a true winter!"

"There's nothing we can do! Her master is far away in the capital, while Lord Payne's iron cavalry is right in front of us. What else can we do if she refuses to back down!"

A portly middle-aged nobleman seated on the throne revealed a malicious glint in his eyes and asked the messenger knight:

"Has that pretty-boy governor, Ryūka, arrived yet?"

"Lord Godfrey, it's not clear from the city walls, but there's a young man surrounded by soldiers ahead; that should be him..."

This nobleman was none other than Godfrey Douglas, who had spoken ill of Ryukyu at the banquet at the hot spring resort. This so-called 'centrist' readily sided with the Payne family when their army arrived.

This nobleman was none other than Godfrey Douglas, who had spoken ill of Ryukyu at the banquet at the hot spring resort. This so-called 'centrist' readily sided with the Payne family when their army arrived.

Godfrey, who had been mocked by Ryukyu that day, naturally harbored resentment towards Ryukyu. How could he, a nobleman, be insulted by a teenager at a banquet?

The knight's answer brought a satisfied smile to Godfrey's face. He stroked his wine-stained beard and smiled at Brock Water, the lord of Abyss and leader of the Anti-Duke Alliance:

"Lord Brock, please allow me to go and 'greet' this kid."

"That's natural..."

"However, I've heard that the young lady from the Payne family, Grand Knight Megan, is also in Linhu Territory. This is quite a headache..."

Several nobles began to discuss the matter. They only knew that Megan was stationed in Linhu Town on the orders of her uncle, Earl Duke, but they didn't understand the reasons behind it. After all, only Earl Duke's confidants and Lady Mara knew the inside story of how Liuxia defeated Megan in a duel and made her a slave, and no one had told anyone else.

Viscount Brock chuckled dismissively, showing no regard for Megan:

"She's just a petty woman throwing a tantrum. I heard she always looked down on her brothers when she was with the Payne family, believing she was the rightful heir, which is why she was sent to live with her aunt. She's probably had another falling out with Mrs. Mara and sided with her uncle, Earl Duke… Now that the Payne family is about to conquer the Sochi Plain, she should probably reconsider. If we can persuade her to come back, that would be a great achievement…"

Brock's eyes narrowed as he thought of the beautiful and voluptuous Megan, but the other nobles turned pale at the thought of this female knight who enjoyed torturing men. Godfrey, who had just been about to give Ryūka a hard time, paled even more.

"But she is, after all, a great knight..."

"What's there to be afraid of! I forgot to tell you all that I recently broke through to the level of Grand Knight. Furthermore, the Payne family has already sent hundreds of elite soldiers for me to command, so that we can take down those vassals who are still following that old geezer Ronald before the army arrives."

Brock stroked his mustache. Although he was over forty, he had finally broken through to the level of a Grand Knight. While breaking through at this age was nothing to boast about, he was already the strongest among the nobles. He happily accepted the compliments from the other nobles, dreaming of his future meteoric rise to power.

After this rebellion is quelled, the empire will surely reward the meritorious officials and appoint a new earl to rule the Sochi Plain. After all, the Payne family cannot openly control this territory, so they will definitely support a local nobleman who is loyal to them.

Perhaps it will even be through a marriage alliance... and it could very well be Megan, who isn't favored by the Payne family, if he could just bring her back into the Payne family's camp...

Brock had a rosy plan; he was already the leader of the 'Anti-Duke Alliance,' and he couldn't think of anyone else more suitable to be the Payne family's tool for controlling the Sochi Plains.

As for the others in Linhu Territory, Lord Hetia was merely a young girl not yet twenty. Even with Heflian added to the mix, the two female knights would likely be no match for him. Moreover, their act of bringing laborers and military provisions was, in itself, an act of surrender and submission…

Joyful laughter echoed through the lord's hall. They were unaware that there was a great mage named Melanie in Linhu Territory, nor that Hetia and Haifulen outside the city had also broken through to the level of great knight.

As for Ryuka, who has never revealed his strength to outsiders, in their eyes he is nothing more than a pretty boy who uses his good looks to please the female lord.

"A bunch of idiots..."

In a corner of the hall, several knights clad in heavy black armor watched the group of nobles with cold eyes. In their center, a tall woman draped in a thick cloak couldn't help but let out a disgusted and contemptuous sneer…

Her fiery red hair was cut short, and from a distance, her face resembled that of a handsome man. Only upon closer inspection could one discover her voluptuous figure, encased in a form-fitting black light armor beneath her fur cloak. The woman leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, half of a blue-glowing emblem visible beneath her arm armor.

The emblem on the ice dragon's head, where the longsword was stuck, was that of the Frost Iron Knights of the North... Several other heavily armored knights besides her also wore this emblem. They were the most elite squad among the hundreds of soldiers the Payne family had sent to Brok.

Their mission in arriving here ahead of time was singular: to eliminate Melanie from the Third Prince's faction...

"No, I mean..." The knight was about to say something when his comrade tugged at his arm and silently shook his head, signaling him not to say anything more.

They all knew that Captain Olivia and Megan Payne had spent time together in the snowy North when they were children. They were both playmates and rivals, but this relationship may have faded after Megan left the Payne family, to the point that Olivia felt no emotion upon hearing Megan's name.

“Remember, we have only one objective: Melanie Snowfield. The Snowfield family has already been informed. If she's willing to return, that's fine; if not…”

A glint of fire flashed in Olivia's eyes; that quiet, faint gaze flickered like an endless raging fire, capable of turning the frozen snowfield into a fiery inferno.

Just then, an untimely voice rang out.

"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the renowned Frost Iron Knights~"

Some high-pitched voices were full of flattery, and a female mage deliberately swayed her brand-new mage robe, which was covered with jewelry, as she approached.

"I've heard that although the Frost Iron Knights are named after frost, they are all elite fire warriors. What a coincidence~ I'm also a fire mage..."

The female mage winked at Olivia, who was surrounded by knights, her eyes, hidden behind heavy makeup, filled with ingratiating and seductive intent. But Olivia seemed used to this kind of scene, and simply uttered a single word indifferently.

"roll."

"Uh..." The female mage froze on the spot. She looked at the 'young man' in front of her, revealing an embarrassed expression. Her pitiful gaze swept over the surrounding knights, and finding that no one stepped forward to help her, she could only force a smile and say:

“You misunderstand. My name is Carly. I came with Lord Douglas, Godfrey Douglas, the one who works with Lord Brock… He's also a manipulator of fire-based powers. I just wanted to…”

Seeing that the female mage still wouldn't leave, the knights all showed pity in their eyes...

Kali, a fire mage, was the one who was thrown out during the mage recruitment in Linhu Territory. Of course, after Kania erased her memories, she didn't remember anything, but her personality and temper became more aggressive than before.

That's why she hardened her heart and shamelessly seduced Godfrey, a nobleman, finally managing to infiltrate what she considered high society. However, compared to the portly Godfrey, she immediately spotted a new prey: the 'handsome' Olivia…

After all, this is the Frost Iron Knights, one of the Ten Celestial Orders, guarding the barbarian kingdoms of the far north in the snowy northern lands. Even their squad leaders are far superior to minor nobles like Godfrey from a remote place... Trying it won't hurt...

Olivia sneered and took a step toward Carly. Her thick cloak opened, and her pair of proud breasts, covered in black light armor, pressed against Carly's face like two large shields.

Woman...woman?

Carly immediately realized she had made a mistake, and Olivia's words made her feel even more humiliated.

"At your age, still stuck at the level of a regular worker, how dare you say 'we are also manipulators of fire-type power' in front of us?"

“I…” Carly felt like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, a surge of anger rising within her. She couldn’t help but turn her head to look at Godfrey, who was still toasting and boasting with Brock, hoping that the nobleman behind her would notice them and come to her aid.

But clearly, her hopes were dashed; Godfrey was preoccupied with how to mock Ryuuka. And facing the aloof Frost Iron Knight, even though Carly was seething with hatred, she dared not utter a sound, and could only force a smile.

“Miss Knight… I… I am a mage, which is inherently more difficult to cultivate than being a knight…”

Clang! A soft sound rang out on the cool stone slab as a slender longsword tapped lightly to the ground from within Olivia's cloak. The excessively long blade and half-meter-long hilt made the sword look somewhat incongruous, until Carly noticed the crimson magic crystals and magic circuits embedded in its surface…

This is... a staff! This woman in armor isn't a knight! She's a magician!

“I gave you a chance.” Olivia looked at Carly with the eyes of someone looking at an ant, the stone slab her sword tip was piercing began to glow red-hot…

"Besides, I hate shameless women the most... But since you are also a fire mage and want to join the Frost Iron Knights, then try to solve this problem."

Boom! Without warning, an explosion of flames erupted around Carly, incinerating her brand-new mage robes and melting her jewelry, which spilled onto the floor. However, the intense flames seemed precisely controlled, escaping harm from Carly's body, except for her hair, which had cost a full three gold coins to meticulously style at the hair salon…

But that was only for a moment. Carly clearly felt the flames begin to burn her skin, and no matter how she tried to control her staff, she couldn't manage these seemingly ordinary flames. Even though Olivia in front of her had severed her magical connection with the flames…

Olivia, having done all this, showed no pity whatsoever. She shook the ashes off her cloak and gave the astonished nobles in the hall a disdainful look.

Carly, now a human torch, rolled on the ground screaming in agony, and Godfrey quickly yelled:

"A mage! A water mage! And a healing priest! Come quick!!!"

However, relying on his status as a nobleman and a high knight, Brock couldn't help but step forward to stop the commotion and try to calm Olivia, who was about to leave.

“Miss Olivia! You’ve gone too far! How could you do this at my banquet…”

The heavily armored knight beside Olivia turned around in an instant, and the dangerous gaze from the gaps in his thick helmet made Brock feel an astonishing sense of pressure, and his throat suddenly became unable to make a sound.

Olivia didn't turn around, but merely turned half her face to the side, her raptor-like sharp eyes paired with a seemingly friendly smile, and said to Brock:

"Your Excellency, your guest has arrived. Aren't you going to greet him?"

"Guests...what guests?" Brock's throat bobbed, and then he finally heard footsteps coming from outside the hall.