A group of battle-hardened men, with the exception of two, were mostly simple folk without any ulterior motives. A single compliment was all it took for them to hit it off, and their relationship warmed up in no time.

「As one story unfolds, another begins.」

When Levi arrived outside Fujero’s tent, the two Silver Armored Guards on duty quickly bowed respectfully.

"Baron."

Although this Baron wasn’t their commander, his noble status was clear. They were commoners and required to bow to nobility.

"Is Fujero inside?"

"The Legion Commander is inside." One of the soldiers nodded, his tone respectful. "Baron, please allow me to go in and announce you."

Levi waved his hand, not making things difficult for them.

’If he were some arrogant protagonist, he would’ve cursed them out for being blind and barged right in. Levi just thought that sort of behavior screamed of immaturity.’

After the soldier came out and cleared the path, Levi strode forward, pushed open the door, and went inside.

Contrary to the stench of sweat he had expected, the inside was filled with a unique fragrance.

In the center was a wooden table with about ten chairs, most of which were already taken. As expected, a single glance revealed Fujero at the head of the table, with the seven Priests making up the rest.

What surprised Levi, however, was that Si Kai was also there. He immediately shot him a wry look.

"Lord." Si Kai called out, his face a mask of embarrassment.

’To be fair, this Lord had treated him quite well. He had even saved his life, so logically, he shouldn’t have hidden things from him.’

’But he had sworn fealty to Fulina, and a Knight’s virtues prevented him from betraying his Feudal Lord.’

’Caught in the middle, anything he did would feel wrong, which was why he had been avoiding this Lord.’

Levi didn’t say much and just plopped down in the seat next to him.

"Good day, Lord." Fujero signaled to his Attendant to pour some tea, welcoming him with a wide smile.

Frankly, his impression of Baron Levi was neither good nor bad. He wouldn’t show any disgust upon seeing him, but he wouldn’t show any joy either.

Thanks to round after round of promotion by his sister, this Lord of High Cliff Castle’s fame was growing. Not only was there the Legendary tale of him swearing to protect his Feudal Lord and breaking her out from the usurper’s army, but now the common folk of the Northern Territory even saw him as a hero for defeating the Wilderness Alien Races.

After all, the commoners on the Northern Territory’s border had long suffered from the southward raids of the Wilderness Bandits. Their hatred for them needed no explanation. A nobleman who specifically fought against these Wilderness Bandits was absolutely worthy of their reverence.

But in Fujero’s eyes, or in the eyes of others with slightly higher status, it was a different matter entirely.

’This so-called story of breaking through the usurper’s elite cavalry, crossing nearly all of Debei, and safely delivering his Feudal Lord to the Northern Territory? Perhaps they had just disguised themselves as beggars to escape, and the grandiose tale was just to save face.’

’As for defeating the Wilderness Alien Race, well, crushing a hundred-man Bandit Corps could also be called a defeat, as could routing a thousand-man raiding party composed entirely of runts like Goblins.’

’And the title of Dragon Slayer was even more absurdly famous.’

’His resume seemed dazzling, but its actual substance remained to be seen.’

’But... that one word was always the most troublesome.’

Ever since the last battle, after personally witnessing this Lord slaughter a group of Berserk Minotaurs as easily as crushing ants, all those speculations had been completely overturned in his mind.

This Lord had actually been quite humble in the publicized stories. At least the man in the tales wasn’t as bloody as the real thing.

When they cleaned up the battlefield afterward, they couldn’t even piece together a single complete corpse from those Minotaurs.

They were nothing but a pile of shredded meat, as if a butcher had gone at them with a bone cleaver for a whole day and night.

At that moment, this Lord had, in his mind, become a powerhouse on the same level as Duke Fulina.

Not to mention, if this Lord hadn’t intercepted the Minotaurs’ sneak attack, it was hard to say what kind of losses the Thorn Corps would have suffered. They might have even been routed completely.

And his own dream of being promoted to the nobility would have become like fireworks in a room—dazzlingly close, yet utterly untouchable.

For every reason, both personal and professional, Levi deserved his respect.

"Just call me Levi. We don’t stand on ceremony in a military camp," Levi said, trying to maintain his humble persona.

"There’s no need to be modest, Lord. According to the laws of Debei, a noble is a noble, whether in a military camp or anywhere else," Fujero said. He folded his hands, stroking an exquisite Ring on his index finger. His tone was unhurried, yet conveyed an unwavering conviction.

Honestly, setting aside their positions, the person with the highest status present was this Baron of Exploration. He and Si Kai were next, both being anointed Knights.

The Priests of the Ice and Snow Church weren’t counted in this hierarchy. Their status was difficult to define. They were normally higher than commoners but not on par with nobility.

And yet, under a Duke who had a specific need for them, they could be more revered than a Baron.

Levi picked up the hot tea poured by Fujero’s Attendant and took a sip.

It was a specialty of the north: goat milk tea. The milky flavor was rich and the texture was smooth. Just one sip sent a gradual warmth spreading through his body.

He glanced at Fujero’s Attendant, a very young man with a boyish face. When the youth saw him looking, he even gave a shy smile.

A chill ran down the Lord’s spine, and he couldn’t help but shiver.

’Could it be that the Legion Commander of the Thorn Corps has some... secret hobbies?’ A look of revulsion crossed Levi’s face.

"Regarding this war, I thank you all for your assistance. Originally, Duke Fulina was supposed to discuss the details with you, but for certain reasons, the Duke is currently unavailable. Therefore, I will be taking full command of the upcoming battle."

As Fujero spoke, his gaze fell primarily on Levi.

’Compared to the others, the Lord of High Cliff Castle was the one who deserved his attention now.’

’His combat prowess was comparable to a fully armed Thousand-Man Squad; at a critical moment, he could play an unimaginably vital role.’

Levi, who was sipping his hot tea with his head down, felt a gaze upon him. He looked up just in time to see a young female Priest in a blue and white hooded robe quickly turn her head away.

Puzzled, he shook his head, but it wasn’t long before he felt the gaze on his face again.

’I don’t have anything on my face, do I?’ Levi wondered. He couldn’t help but ask, "Excuse me, is there something on my face?"

Everyone in the tent was involuntarily drawn to the exchange.

"N-n-no..."

Suddenly becoming the center of so many stares, the young female Priest became flustered and started to stammer.

"Apologies, my Lord," the white-bearded old man, who was clearly their leader, explained on the young Priest’s behalf. "Masha meant no offense. She is simply very curious about you. Please don’t take it the wrong way."

"Yes, yes!" the young Priest, Masha, nodded eagerly.

"It’s alright. I just thought I might have a grain of rice stuck to my face from breakfast," Levi joked. He then turned to the young Priest, flashing what he considered his most dashing and handsome smile. "I wonder, Miss Masha, what is it about me that you’re so curious about?"

On the surface, Levi looked as calm as could be, but inwardly, he was about to explode with laughter.

’He had come here specifically for this group of Priests from the Ice and Snow Church. Her curiosity was the perfect opening, wasn’t it?’

’This would save him a lot of effort.’

"Don’t worry," he added quickly when he saw her hesitation. "I won’t get angry, no matter what you say."

"I often heard stories about you in Bailiu City," she began. "The rumors said you had three heads and eight arms, that you were a Demon from Hell, hideous in appearance, cruel and bloodthirsty. But... but..." Here, Masha started to stammer again.

’Damn it, that’s all fucking slander!’

The Lord screamed inwardly. He never imagined that his wise and brilliant self would have such an image in the minds of the young women of Bailiu City. He was so angry he almost couldn’t breathe, but he still had to wear an encouraging expression, urging the young Priest to continue.

Seeing the Baron’s expectant look, Masha’s cheeks flushed slightly as she finally mustered her courage. "But..."