"Have you heard? Lord Bilet’s reinforcements are all gone!"

"The Holy Alliance people are already near the city walls, Lord Puzilio is going to flee!"

"It’s over, it’s over, our Sk Wolf Castle is doomed!"

The battered wind carried the fragmented whispers through the cracks in the door, stabbing like needles into Knight Commander Maolun’s heart.

He reined in his horse, glancing back at the castle ahead.

The guards on the city wall had lost their previous upright posture, some leaning against the arrow tower drinking, others squatting in the corners murmuring.

Their spears even leaned casually against the wall, showing no signs of alertness.

"Are you sure Lord Puzilio has returned?"

"Sure." The guard at the door whispered, "Just left the city, he’ll be back soon."

"Let’s go to Lord Puzilio’s residence."

The bells were light, but Maolun’s heart was extraordinarily heavy.

He had been waiting in the military camp all afternoon, growing more anxious by the moment.

The knights sent to join up with Bilet hadn’t returned, and the soldiers in the camp were starting to whisper among themselves.

He even saw at least ten auxiliary soldiers secretly packing their belongings, ready to escape.

But Maolun, aside from whipping them and locking them in the dungeon, had no good solution.

Now rumors were rampant, first saying the reinforcements were victorious, then saying they were annihilated, and even Puzilio was rumored dead.

But Maolun still couldn’t believe it, could three thousand elite Border Knights have been so easily wiped out?

Passing through the street’s corner paved with rubble and the oppressive alley, he arrived at a luxurious residence occupying four or five acres.

This was the future Leia Crown Prince, the current honorary Duke Puzilio’s residence.

But compared to previous quietude, today it was much more bustling.

The usually tidy courtyard was now in chaos, several servants in silk waistcoats hurriedly loading gold and silver onto a carriage.

Gilded candlesticks, gem-studded plates, even beautiful women were being stuffed randomly into carriages.

Some were even pulling down tapestries from the walls, the velvet falling to the ground, leaving black marks with the horse’s hooves.

A steward-like figure stood with hands on hips, shouting, "Hurry up! Move faster! Lord said everything must be packed within an hour; delay the journey and I’ll skin you all!"

"What are you all doing?!" Maolun dashed over, face grim as he asked.

The steward paled suddenly, stammering, "Ma—Maolun, sir, it’s Lord Puzilio’s order, to move the residence’s belongings..."

"Move? Move where?" Maolun’s voice rose sharply, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, "Where’s the reinforcements? Where’s Lord Bilet’s reinforcements? Where’s Lord Puzilio?"

The steward trembled under his shout, pointing towards the residence, "H-His Lordship is in the study..."

Maolun shoved the steward aside and sprinted towards the study.

Through the chaotic corridor, the servants either raced clutching bags or wept; none were guiding him.

He reached the study door, which was left ajar, and the sight before him chilled his heart.

The map on the desk was crumpled, letters lay scattered across the floor.

Puzilio was turned away, crouched over a wooden box, seemingly packing his fine clothes and sword.

"Your Lordship!" Maolun charged up to Puzilio, "Where’s Lord Bilet? Where are the reinforcements? The soldiers in the camp are on the verge of madness, say something!"

Puzilio slowly straightened and turned around.

His brow was furrowed tight, eyes sunken deep, usually tidy hair now a mess across his forehead.

He glanced at Maolun, picked up the wooden box lid and closed it gently, his voice exhausted, "Don’t ask, Bilet is gone, the three thousand knight reinforcements... all gone."

"What?!" Reflexively stepping back, Maolun bumped into the shelf behind him, sending heavy books crashing to the floor, "How could this happen? Weren’t you going to support them? How...?"

"Support?" Puzilio chuckled self-deprecatingly, pointing outside the window, "When I got there, all I saw was a sea of fire and marsh.

The Holy Alliance had long laid their ambush, waiting for us to jump in.

If I’d delayed even a minute, I wouldn’t have brought back this thousand."

"Then we’re just going to leave?"

"What else?"

Maolun fiercely grabbed Puzilio’s arm, knuckles white from exertion, "What about Sk Wolf Castle? What about the faithful citizens in the city? Let’s fight for a chance, their elite in Wonyu City ambush Bilet outside, if we launch all troops now, maybe we could catch them off guard!"

Puzilio forcefully shook off his hand, his eyebrows knitted tightly: "Striving for a glimmer of hope? Maolun, wake up, Prince Kongdai has been gone for ten years.

With Bilet’s death, the reinforcements were annihilated, and the morale in the city has long collapsed; it can’t be hidden.

Go to the camp and see how many soldiers are still willing to pick up weapons now?

Sending them to attack Wonyu City? We’d be lucky if even one-fifth make it out of the city."

"Better to die fighting than to flee!" Maolun once again grabbed Puzilio’s arm.

This time he held it tighter, his nails almost digging into the flesh: "If you retreat, Dawn Island will be completely lost! Are the Knights of Leia only capable of fleeing like stray dogs?"

"Dawn Island was never something we could defend." Puzilio’s voice lowered, full of helplessness in his gaze, "Let it be lost. Are we to sacrifice the last of our elite knights on this meaningless battlefield?"

Maolun froze, his lips moved, but he couldn’t speak.

What Puzilio said was true, but he couldn’t swallow this feeling.

He remembered the stories his father told him about the Leia Knights when he was young.

Those heroes on white horses, wielding longswords, fighting bloodily on the frontline against heretics and the deviant.

Even if they died in battle, they would plant the flag on the position.

But now?

The Knights of Leia either defect to the Holy Alliance or retreat like Puzilio, not even having the courage to draw their swords?

Is that really the case?

"Sir!" After a long silence, Maolun’s voice sounded softly, "I know we’ll lose, I know this battle might be meaningless.

But even if we lose, we must fight. Leia’s spirit cannot just disappear like this!

If even we don’t dare to draw our swords, when the Knights of Leia face the Holy Alliance in the future, they might not even have the courage to charge!"

He paused, his eyes slowly reddening: "You say to leave a seed, but how can a seed sprout without being watered with blood?

Even if I die here, I must let the people of Dawn Island know that the knights still exist!"

Puzilio stared blankly at Maolun, as if seeing him for the first time.

"The great nobles are all colluding with Falan and the Holy Alliance, selling out the country for glory." Puzilio faced him for the first time, "Yet it’s you lower-level minor nobles, who have borne the brunt of the kingdom, who still want to sacrifice for Leia... is it worth it?"

"It is worth it." Maolun nodded firmly, his voice carrying a slight tremble, "Leia is the place where I was born and raised, even if it’s broken and battered, I cannot watch it be dismembered.

Sir Puzilio, I beg you—to appoint me as the City Guard Commander of Sk Wolf Castle, and you take the remaining people and leave, take the seed."

"And you?"

"It’s alright!" Maolun straightened his chest, "Here, I’ll guard."

Puzilio looked at Maolun’s eyes and suddenly felt somewhat dazzled.

First Kennard, now you Maolun, am I truly the only one in the world without spine?

Do I, Puzilio, truly lack courage?!

"Alright!" Puzilio removed his sword from his waist and fastened it onto Maolun’s waist, "The right to guard Sk Wolf Castle, I hand it over to you."

He stepped forward, giving Maolun a hug.

"If one day, you reclaim the Thousand River Valley..." Maolun whispered in Puzilio’s ear, "On the memorial day, please place a flower before my tomb."

Puzilio nodded vigorously, unable to speak.

He patted Maolun’s back, turned to pick up the wooden box on the desk, and walked briskly toward the door.

Upon reaching the door, he halted, looked back at Maolun, and his voice carried both admiration and reflection: "I will, goodbye, Knight Commander Maolun."

On May 20, 1456, Puzilio led the remaining soldiers to evacuate from Sk Wolf Castle and joined forces with the reinforcements from the rear.

On June 1, 1456, the Dawn Island Defense Committee Army, led by Chairwoman Joan, broke through Sk Wolf Castle.

Sk Wolf Castle’s City Guard, Maolun, after steadfastly defending Sk Wolf Castle for a week, fought valiantly on June 1 and was captured, committing suicide by jumping into the river while being escorted.

Seeing this scenario, the originally hesitant towns and cities immediately felt the time was ripe.

The Holy Alliance won, they should aid the Holy Alliance.

So they all rallied flags to support, changing flags in a flurry.

As for Puzilio and his troops, they faced continuous setbacks.

By the end of summer, the original five-city alliance had expanded into a five-county alliance, and the number of troops rapidly expanded to nearly thirty thousand.

Though more than half were trash, at least they were enough to seem imposing.

At this time, a call was quickly spreading among the counties of Dawn Island—with victory achieved, should they join the Holy Alliance or establish independence?