Global Game: Developing a Knight Clan-Chapter 60: The Knights’ Audience, Dark and Elusive

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Knights’ Audience, Dark and Elusive

「The Swamp Territory. Outside the Baron Castle.」

"Quick, look! It’s the Lord!"

The great gates of the Baron Castle opened, and York emerged, followed by seven Knight’s Squires and fifty militiamen.

Eight riders and fifty men on foot, all with serious expressions, swiftly headed out of town.

The passersby in the small town outside the castle all looked rather surprised.

"It’s almost evening. Why is the Lord taking soldiers out of town? Did something happen?"

A mercenary watched in surprise as the party from the Baron’s Mansion departed, looking both nervous and confused.

"It must be a small pack of Demon Beasts that’s appeared in the farmlands at the edge of the territory."

"This isn’t the first time the Baron has done something like this."

"Relax. The Lord returns victorious every time. It’s normal for a new mercenary like you not to know that," the owner of a small streetside shop told the mercenary who was browsing his wares.

"A Beast Tide?" The mercenary tensed.

Seeing the mercenary’s reaction, the shopkeeper laughed.

"A Beast Tide? That’s just a rumor from the outside world. This is just a normal wandering pack of beasts."

"It’s funny, I’ve noticed that you young, new mercenaries are all a bit too tense."

The shopkeeper shook his head, looking relaxed. He’d clearly dealt with this situation more than once.

"Young man, think about it. If there really were a Beast Tide, do you really think the Baron is a fool?"

"A man of his high station would never put himself in harm’s way. So, if there were a massive Beast Tide, a truly unstoppable danger, the Baron’s Mansion would have evacuated immediately."

"In short, you have to believe that a noble lord like the Baron certainly values his life more than we do."

The shopkeeper spoke with confidence, but the mercenary remained skeptical.

"Is that really true? I remember there was a Beast Tide in the Swamp Territory a year and a half ago, and the Baron didn’t retreat then, did he?"

The shopkeeper roared with laughter at his words. "Pfft! You call that a Beast Tide? That was just a pack of harmless little beasts attacking the territory, nothing more."

"During that incident, the Baron only made a big show of it to prove his martial prowess. Otherwise, the Tier Three Giant Lizard he’s bonded with would have been more than enough to eliminate that small pack."

"So, I have to ask, what do you outsiders really think of our Swamp Territory? Do you really believe we’re living in some kind of dire straits?"

Hearing the shopkeeper’s explanation, the mercenary stared blankly for a moment, then fell into deep thought.

Then, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, he came to a sudden realization.

’Damn it! Have I been tricked? Could it be a plot by the major merchant guilds? Are they trying to monopolize the profits from all the Demon Beast resources in the Swamp Territory?’

’But the Duke’s Mansion couldn’t have been fooled as well, right? The Korola Highlands are already under martial law. What is really going on here?’

At this point, the mercenary was lost again, feeling like it was all too much for him to figure out.

Just as the mercenary was lost in thought, two figures suddenly rushed past him.

The two were shrouded from head to toe in gray cloaks and running without pause.

They were moving quickly, yet they strangely produced no sound or gust of wind. It was as if the people around them couldn’t see them at all.

And just like that, without anyone noticing, the two cloaked figures began following the Lord’s party from a distance.

——————

Some ten miles from the town in the Swamp Territory, York once again arrived at the edge of the familiar region.

But this time was different from the last. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

He had not come alone this time.

"Everyone, spread out. Set a perimeter using the previous markers and stand guard. Do not let anyone who dares to spy on this place pass."

"If you find any spies, kill them without hesitation."

York issued the command to the fifty militiamen before him.

"Yes, my Lord!"

The fifty militiamen, clad in good-quality Light Armor, already carried themselves with the air of an elite force from an old noble house.

They had been training for over two years, with veterans mentoring the new recruits.

These men could now be considered true soldiers of the Swamp Territory, no longer just common militia.

York was very pleased with the bearing of these soldiers.

At the same time, York ordered one of his household Knight’s Squires to stay behind and command the men.

"Lu Wen, you will remain here and take charge of everything."

"Yes, sir!"

A trace of regret flashed in the eyes of the Knight’s Squire, Lu Wen, but he still loyally chose to carry out the command without hesitation.

York nodded in satisfaction. Without another word, he led the six Knight’s Squires, whose hearts were aflutter with both excitement and trepidation, toward the swamp inside the forest.

’A god? The God of Radiant Light? What kind of being could that be?’

By this point, the Knight’s Squires behind York were already letting their imaginations run wild.

They imagined all sorts of scenarios.

Some good, some bad.

But when they finally traversed a forest path and saw the being that had appeared in the center of the open swamp ahead, they were all so stunned they couldn’t speak!

In the center of the swamp before them, a massive boulder had appeared at some unknown time.

And on the flat platform atop that massive rock, a creature that should have existed only in legends and picture books now appeared, as if in a deep slumber.

"That shape... that size!"

"A dragon!!!"

"It’s a Giant Dragon! Even if it’s not a true Giant Dragon, it must be a powerful member of a Sub-dragon Species!"

"Deities above, isn’t the Lord’s Magic Pet a Giant Lizard?! Don’t tell me the God of Radiant Light our Lord spoke of has chosen a new Demon Beast to be its mortal vessel?!"

...

At that moment, the feelings of these Knight’s Squires mirrored York’s own when he first signed his contract with Lince.

The squires were shocked. Horrified. Utterly at a loss. In short, they were filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and fear.

However, while the group of Knight’s Squires stood frozen in horror, York had already dismounted with practiced ease.

"What are you all standing around for?!"

"Quickly, join me in paying respects to His great Majesty! Do not be discourteous in the presence of a god!"

Only then did the squires snap back to their senses and hastily dismount.

Just then, the draconic beast on the boulder seemed to awaken, suddenly raising its head to cast an impassive gaze toward the shore.

That gaze was filled with a pressure that made one’s heart pound in their chest.

Merely being stared at by it made the hearts of Paul and the other Knight’s Squires tighten in their chests, their breathing becoming difficult and oppressed.

’So they’ve come?’

’The timing is pretty good. This is a perfect chance to promote the Rock Steel Giant another level.’

’Add to that the quality upgrade for the Magic Crystal Ore... It’s time to begin. I have to live up to my status as a "god," after all.’

Lince initiated the process with a single thought.

[Player has designated Magic Crystal Ore for upgrade to Middle Tier. Confirmed. Upgrade commencing.]

[Player has confirmed receipt of +25% Growth Level for played character.]

As the two lines of text flashed before Lince’s eyes, the very next moment, the ground throughout the entire Swamp Territory and many of its surrounding areas began to tremble without warning.

At the same time, a violent storm of Magic Power began to swirl, with the swamp as its epicenter.

ROAR!!!

A high-pitched roar echoed from the Giant Dragon.

The next moment, under the terrified, helpless gazes of the squires, it spread its draconic wings and rose to its full height!