Chapter 529: Dol Tower

The defense of Spire Palace ultimately concluded with a victory for Ryan and the Bretonnian army. After a relentless assault on the castle for a day and a night, the undead army of Mousilon was forced to retreat north.

Leofric Caral, a valiant kingdom knight from Montfort, engaged in a great champion duel with the reanimated former Duke of Artois, Zilfrois, under the divine blessing of Morgiana's "Goddess's Favor." Leofric successfully defeated Zilfrois and his rearguard of Black Knights.

Morgiana employed the Lady's curse, "Foretelling Doom," predicting that Leofric would slay Zilfrois in close combat. This curse significantly enhanced Leofric's strength, but he had to confront Zilfrois head-on until a victor was determined, or else the Lady would be disappointed, an unacceptable outcome for Bretonnian knights.

The former Duke of Artois, Zilfrois, was a tall and mighty figure, a once-powerful Grail Knight. However, his tyrannical rule upon returning to Artois after the Grail Quest caused great suffering. As an excellent war leader, Zilfrois was courageous and frequently victorious in battle, but his domestic governance was appallingly inept and brutally direct. In the ducal court, Zilfrois would always declare the higher-status party the winner immediately upon opening court and then administer extremely cruel punishments to the losers, including impalement, live coals swallowing, saw torture, wheel breaking, and head smashing.

It was said that only when he saw the condemned begging for mercy with heart-wrenching cries would Zilfrois smile.

His brutality made him notorious as a ruler, even catching the attention of the Lady of the Lake, who abolished these punishments, forcing Zilfrois to cease his cruel practices in disappointment. This Grail Knight ultimately perished in the civil war following the Dol Tower incident, was resurrected as a vampire, and was defeated again by the chivalric army led by Knight-errant Taylor.

Leofric used his last ounce of strength to defeat the reanimated Duke Zilfrois. The knights, united in purpose, then mustered their remaining strength to repel the rearguard left by Matthew Horner.

However, the army was too exhausted to pursue the undead any further. After a forced march, transporting supplies, and continuous fierce battles, both the serfs and the knights were at the brink of collapse. Ryan immediately ordered a halt to the pursuit, repairs to the castle gates, and a well-deserved rest.

At the end of the battle, nearly all the soldiers were too tired to stand, and the knights lay sprawled on the ground. Yet, their faces shone with pride, proud to have participated in such a glorious fight. Many rangers couldn't help but feel smug, thinking that charging alongside Ryan under the Lady's banner would be the most beautiful, honorable, and cherished memory of their lives.

"It's too dangerous to leave the castle to pursue them now. Most of the troops can't even stand," Ryan said, leaning on the Vengeance Goddess, speaking to Morgiana. "We need at least two days to rest and replenish supplies while reinforcing the defenses at Spire Palace."

"The cannons were crucial in this battle. My father's insistence on introducing artillery proved correct." Fedemond, the heir of Duke Bodrick of Bordeleaux, wiped the grime—a mixture of sweat, mud, and blood—from his face with a towel. The Grail Knight looked anything but tired; instead, he was invigorated by the victory.

What a beast! thought Juan, the young Sun Knight, lying nearby on a stone slab, feeling like he was falling apart, his entire body floating as if in a cloud—a sign of extreme fatigue.

"I gathered over a hundred cannons for this battle, and we lost more than half," Ryan lamented, pained by the loss. "Fortunately, most of them are only damaged and can be reforged. If the vampires had taken them, I would have been heartbroken for a long time."

The Lake Prophetess tallied the casualties. Thanks to Morgiana's extensive group healing spells, there were more injuries than deaths. Around 1,200 were lost in this battle.

"My brothers, you've worked hard in this fight," Ryan addressed the troops. "Count Antelm of Quenelles will soon arrive with reinforcements and more supplies. Rest well!"

"Yes, sir!"

The entire army continued to rest within Spire Palace, repairing the gates and setting up guards.

Ryan briefly greeted Teresa. The exhausted sorceress, having spent all her magic, went to rest with the help of her apprentice.

Ryan's room was, naturally, the Count's quarters at the top of Spire Palace's inner keep. He enjoyed a refreshing bath to ease the wear and tear from continuous battles and minor injuries from fighting Matthew Horner. Morgiana helped him wash, equally exhausted. After her own bath and changing into fresh clothes, Morgiana slipped into bed beside Ryan, wrapping her arms around his neck without asking for permission.

"Today's battle was truly dangerous; we almost lost," Morgiana murmured, leaning against Ryan's chest. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing serious, just some bruises and scrapes. I'll be fine after a day or two of rest," Ryan shook his head. "We successfully defended Spire Palace. Next, we need to conscript freemen to transport supplies. Once spring planting is over, we'll gather all our forces and reclaim Mousilon along the Grismerie River!"

"I should have done more, but I just reclaimed the Holy Grail," Morgiana said, displeased with herself. "The Grail's stored magic needs time to be fully under my control again."

"It's okay, you did very well," Ryan assured, embracing Morgiana and kissing her lips. "Rest now, you're tired too."

"I'm tired, but what about you?" Morgiana closed her eyes, her small foot in a thin flesh-colored stocking hooking onto Ryan's leg, lightly tapping his chest. "Once more before we rest? You can do whatever you like."

"…Alright."

…Meanwhile, in northern Mousilon, near Richard Castle, along the Mousilon coast...

Laon Leoncoeur and his attendants watched the coastline from afar. In the cold winter, the biting sea wind and icy waves lashed against the rocky shore. Duke Laon stood with Duke Aldred of Lyonnais and the Grail Knight Lord Calard of Garamont, gazing at a black granite tower beyond the shore. The tower, battered by waves and storms, showed signs of neglect but held a significant place in Bretonnian history. Many knights sighed as they beheld it.

The tower was the infamous Dol Tower, the site of the notorious "Dol Tower Incident," also known as the "False Grail Incident."

In brief, after the Mad Duke Melowin incident, the Duchy of Mousilon was severely reduced, with much of its northern lands ceded to Lyonnais, and the ducal title changed to Duke of Connaught. The then Duke of Connaught, Madred, harbored ambitions to restore the duchy's former glory, conspiring with his magic advisor Malfred for over a decade.

Opportunity knocked when the Just King Jules died in a mutual kill with a Chaos Champion in northern Lyonnais, leaving the throne vacant. Jules had no heir and no designated successor. His daughter announced a contest: whoever avenged her father could marry her and inherit Jules' titles, including Duke of Lyonnais, with the vacant throne requiring a new election.

Madred saw his chance, announcing he had found the Holy Grail and luring the Lake Prophetess to Mousilon. Upon her arrival, the Prophetess Orianna was trapped and imprisoned in Dol Tower.

Two versions of the subsequent story exist. In one, Madred publicly claimed to have married the Lady of the Lake (or the Prophetess) and asserted his legitimate claim to the throne. In the other, he claimed to have found the Grail, proclaiming himself the Lady's chosen knight.

Everyone knows what happened next. With the Prophetess missing, the connection between the Lady and the mortal realm was severed. Despite dreams warning Grail Knights that Madred's Grail was fake, they couldn't prove it, sparking a civil war. The conflict continued until Knight-errant Taylor discovered and rescued the Prophetess from Dol Tower.

The Dol Tower Incident marked the end of Bretonnia's golden age, plunging the kingdom into decline. Gazing at the distant Dol Tower, most could only sigh.

After a moment of silence, Duke Laon spoke, his brow furrowed. "When will our allied forces arrive?"

Duke Aldred of Lyonnais remained silent, but Laon's attendant promptly answered, "The Empire's reinforcements have reached the Duchy of Le-Angoulême and will arrive soon."

"Good. We need the Empire's help," Laon relaxed slightly upon hearing the news.

Lord Calard, standing nearby, felt a stir in his heart but said nothing.

Calard had a closer relationship with Ryan, but he was still influenced by the stance of the late Lord Eules, a frequent head of the Grail Knights' chapter in Couronne and a close ally of Richard. For Calard, Eules was both a mentor and a brother-in-law. When Laon requested his assistance, Calard, intending to help Richard one last time, brought his retainers and reported to Lyonnais.

Laon welcomed Calard, a senior Grail Knight, warmly, giving him a chance to observe Laon's army and policies.

Originally, Laon led 1,000 knights stationed in Lyonnais, partly to assist Duke Aldred in quelling internal unrest and maintaining order, and partly to observe Ryan

's campaign against Mousilon.

To Laon's surprise, he received intelligence that Spire Palace fell in just one day! Ryan had taken Spire Palace with just 5,000 men in a single day!

Unable to sit still, Laon hastily led a 20,000-strong chivalric army south, laying siege to Richard Castle.

However, as Calard saw firsthand, Laon's so-called siege was more of a blockade. Despite the impressive size of the chivalric army, nearly 17,000 of the 20,000 troops were hastily recruited Lyonnais serfs.

Indeed, this chivalric army was "watered-down pork." To boost numbers, Laon conscripted Lyonnais refugees, who eagerly joined for food. In just two days, Laon raised a 17,000-strong "serf infantry corps," each armed with a spear (or pitchfork, dung fork, or even wooden stick) and clothed in rags, receiving minimal rations.

After recruitment, Laon hurried south, surrounding Richard Castle with a seemingly formidable force. The castle's vampire lord, with fewer than 2,000 defenders, was under great pressure, urgently requesting aid from Duke Matthew Horner at Spire Palace.

But both Laon and Duke Aldred knew the true combat effectiveness of this hastily formed army. Maybe a big question mark.

For Calard, it wasn't even a question. Comparing this refugee army to Ryan's semi-professional serf infantry corps, he sighed. These refugee troops couldn't even serve as effective laborers, let alone soldiers. Recruiting them wasn't a good idea.

But it was unavoidable. If left unchecked, leaving the refugees behind with elite forces away would be disastrous!

"Without substantial firearms and artillery from our Imperial allies, we can't assault directly, Duke Laon, Duke Aldred," Calard finally spoke. "You know the real combat strength of our army. Besides over a thousand knights and a few infantry units, most so-called soldiers are rabble, incapable of fighting."

"I know that," Laon, clad in gleaming armor and wielding the Sword of Couronne, wasn't ignorant of his army's condition. "So, I'm waiting. Waiting for reinforcements, not just from the Empire but another ally."

"Another ally?" Calard pondered.

As he spoke, Laon's confidant, Jerald de Couronne, approached.

"My duke, Duke Aldred, Lord Calard, the reinforcements from Duke Fulcard of Montfort and Duke Hagen of Gisoreux have arrived."

"Excellent, convene a war council immediately!"

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