"Laine, I’ve heard of your exploits during the Hemgart plague of Ratmen—drain this cup." At the round table, the Holy Grail Knights were feasting and drinking. Red Dragon Duke Bohemond raised his goblet, signaling Laine to drink it all.

"Uh, about Countess Eva..." Laine drained a whole cup of red wine. Before he could speak, Bohemond tore off a large goose leg. "Here, try the goose here and see how it differs from Bastogne’s!"

A huge roasted goose leg was stuffed into Laine’s mouth. He could only nod bitterly in assent. Duke Bohemond was two generations his elder, not only a direct descendant of Arthur’s bloodline, but also one of the top Holy Sanctuary Grand Knights in the entire Kingdom. As a junior, he still had to mind his manners.

Laine had barely gnawed halfway through the goose leg when Bohemond placed a whole roasted lamb shank on his plate, the Duke’s face wearing a "sincere" smile. "What, Champion of the Lady, you’ve married Surya and now you want to marry my granddaughter as well? That won’t do. A Knight can have plenty of women, but he can only have one lady wife!"

"That’s not what I meant, Your Grace the Duke." Laine hurried to explain, somewhat embarrassed. "I was asking about..."

"Then why keep asking about something that has nothing to do with you? Laine, this matter has nothing to do with you. If someone wants to negotiate, let that fellow Francois come himself or send Julius to my face! What is it to ask your own son-in-law to plead their case?" Bohemond laughed heartily, scolding in the tone of an elder to a junior. "You can’t take Julius’s place and fight a Champion’s duel with Fidmund!"

Laine began to understand what Bohemond meant. The Duke already had a decision in his heart and did not need to negotiate with Laine. Thus he used this half-jesting way to tactfully refuse Laine’s probe.

Both sides stopped there. Laine understood, and when he found a chance he raised his cup toward Fidmund. "Once again, my congratulations, Fidmund."

"Same to you!" The other Holy Grail Knights present also lifted their cups.

"For the Lady! For Brittania!"

"For Boldro!"

The Holy Grail Knights raised their cups and drank together.

After draining another cup, Bohemond said to Laine, "I hear you and Francois are planning to attack the Black Stone Fortress in the Gray Mountain Range?"

"That’s right, we’re planning it." Laine nodded. Inside the beautiful Bodlukes Castle, seawater filled the banquet hall and courtyards. Dolphins, symbol of Manannan, leapt and rolled in the air before splashing back into the water.

"The Bastogne Duchy will send two companies of Kingdom Knights to support you." The Bastogne Duchy lay not far from the Black Stone Stronghold, and Duke Bohemond clearly had his concerns as well. "Kemler is a threat to the Kingdom as a whole. Each Duke has his own headaches. Last year’s Chaos Invasion left many Duchies badly weakened. You and Francois cannot place too much hope on all the Dukes sending troops to help you. Laine, you must learn how to solve problems on your own when there is no reinforcements."

"I understand." Laine froze for a moment, then immediately answered. "Attacking the Black Stone Stronghold is not a Knightly War, so please, Your Graces, don’t read too much into it. Guarding one’s own lands is the greatest piety we can show the Lady."

These words made the Dukes listening nearby feel as if a weight had been lifted. The news that Laine and Francois planned to assault the Black Stone Stronghold had already spread through the upper echelons of Brittania. All the Dukes felt tremendous pressure, for they each faced their own troubles.

First, the Kingdom’s northern regions had suffered grievous losses during Egil’s Chaos Invasion last year and needed time to recover. From the troubled expressions of Duke Aldred of Leonais, Duke Hagen of Jisoleox, and Duke Lorne of Connet alone, one could tell they had no capacity to send troops. Duke Fulcard of Montfort was still clearing and restoring Axe Bite Pass; he, too, would not send soldiers.

Next, the Boldro Duchy was undergoing a political transition, and whether it was willing to send troops was unclear. The Kakasong Duchy was harried year-round by Green Skins and Ratmen. The Borelion Duchy was in chaos. Duke Casvan of the Paragon Duchy had an extremely poor relationship with Francois. Counting one by one, the only Duchy both with spare strength and a personal bond to send aid was Bastogne.

Bohemond’s words cleverly voiced support for those Dukes unable to send troops, tactfully stating: if you wish to fight, then fight; we do not have the energy to help you now. The Red Dragon Duke was giving voice, on their behalf, to what the other Dukes wanted to say but could not. Laine, after all, was the Divine Chosen Champion of the Lake Fairy. If he marched under the Lake Fairy’s banner, the Dukes would be put in an awkward position.

Immediately after, Bohemond sold Laine a favor, saying he himself would send troops to help. However, Laine and Francois still had to rely on their own strength to win the war, rather than pinning their hopes on follow-up support from the Dukes.

Amid mutual probing, another issue was settled. Laine thought to himself that Bohemond was nothing like the rumors that claimed he didn’t understand politics or court affairs. He simply didn’t care to meddle. The young Count raised his goblet. "Please drain this cup, Your Grace the Duke. I wish you good health and long life."

"Thank you." Bohemond clinked cups with Laine.

It seemed a tacit understanding had been reached.

After several rounds of wine and five flavors of meat, on the stage set up by the servants in the banquet hall, the famous play "Dragon Quest" began. Everyone set down what they were doing and turned to watch the performance.

The story’s background was simple. In Brittania, a Holy Grail Knight heard that a Giant Dragon had invaded the realm and decided to slay it. The brave Holy Grail Knight mounted his steed, took up his Cavalry Lance, and set out on a dragon-slaying expedition.

The role of the Holy Grail Knight was played by a young Official Knight, clad in red full plate armor, wielding sword and shield, imposing in bearing.

The Red Dragon was played by... five Peasants. Lined up in a row, they covered their bodies inside a "dragon’s body" made from animal hides, wood, and metal, brandishing various weapons as they bared their fangs and claws and charged the "Holy Grail Knight."

"For the Lady, face judgment, Giant Dragon! May the Lady grant me victory!" The "Holy Grail Knight," played by a Knight, launched into his performance. He charged bravely and became entangled in fierce combat with the "Giant Dragon."

The "Giant Dragon," unwilling to lose like any villain, counterattacked with all its might. The dragon’s body rolled and twisted across the stage, lashing the Knight’s shield. The dragon’s maw, apparently made with Dwarven help, could even spew fire.

At first Laine had little interest in such a shoddy performance, but the Count quickly realized this wasn’t a mock fight—it was real! The Knight and the "Giant Dragon" were truly dueling on stage. The tail, made of iron and leather, whipped across the Knight’s face, leaving his features a bloody mess, while the Knight’s sharp blade pierced the "dragon’s" body and drew great spurts of blood from within—that was definitely not chicken or pig blood!

They’re going all out? Laine was quite shocked. Just as the Count was about to say something, sudden change erupted on stage.

One Peasant suddenly thrust his arm out from inside the "dragon’s body." He held a red short sword and drove it straight into the Knight’s neck!

"Aaahhh!" Screams erupted beneath the stage. The audience was terrified by what they saw. The Knight clutched his neck in disbelief as blood gushed through his fingers, then toppled limply and fell off the stage.

"??? Bodric? What in the world is this you’ve staged?" Bohemond turned in puzzlement to Duke Boldro. "So this ’Dragon Quest’ of yours is about the Evil Dragon killing the hero with a despicable sneak attack?"

"Wait~" Bodric was equally baffled. He muttered in confusion, "No, that’s not how the script goes..."

While the Dukes were still puzzled, the "Giant Dragon" onstage gave them no time to think. The five Peasants went completely mad, hoisting the dragon’s body and charging straight into the banquet!

"Ah! My gods! What’s happening?"

"Help!"

"Run!"

The audience fell into chaos. Screams, trampling, the shattering of glass cups—everything merged into a roar that filled the entire hall!

"Guards! Protect the guests! Protect the Dukes!"