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Chapter 17
Chapter 17 Entering the City
If there was any new lesson Luna gained from this trip, it was that aside from going to war, no normal person should ride a horse while wearing armor.
After finally enduring until nightfall and arriving at a small village to rest, Luna could not help removing her armor the moment she dismounted. Covered in sweat, she let out a heavy breath.
The villagers were all very enthusiastic. Seeing that important figures from the Northern Territory had arrived, they all invited them to spend the night in their homes. But everyone in the group remembered the Duke’s teachings and tactfully declined the villagers’ offers, then began looking for an open space to set up camp.
The village was especially busy tonight. Aside from Luna’s group, Red’s cavalry had also arrived here. They were going to gather militia and take advantage of the night to encircle the bandits in the mountains.
E n̂um̌ а
It was called encirclement, but in truth, they were merely sealing off the roads into the mountains, then slowly spreading out patrol lines. After all, sending a group of insufficiently trained militia into the mountains at night would only cause a large number of non-combat casualties.
The militia were very excited. Before leaving, the gazes they cast toward Luna’s personal soldiers were exceptionally eager.
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These were elites. They rode tall horses, carried bows and swords, and wore uniform attire... Everything on them was good equipment. Just looking at them made one’s heart itch.
If they could earn military merit this time, perhaps they might be able to join a unit like this. When the time came and they returned to their village on horseback, everyone in the whole village would probably look at them with new respect.
How could the personal soldiers fail to understand the militia’s thoughts? As they set up camp, each of them puffed out their chest and straightened their back, their expressions proud and unruly. They pretended to casually brush the dust off their formal uniforms, and their appearance clearly said: Kid, you are still far from reaching our level!
Luna did not notice the interaction between the soldiers. The two Counts had also gone to rest in the carriage early. She sat beside the campfire, tearing dried meat and distributing it to the children who had come over for excitement, while listening to the villagers talk about recent events.
Е nŭ m å
“The bandits do not dare come over anymore. Our village is right next to the main road. Once the patrolling militia discover them, they can quickly ride over and notify Regiment Commander Red.”
“But according to bards and passing travelers, there is something strange in the mountains to the southwest. Occasionally, very frightening sounds come from there.”
Luna froze. This was the first time she had heard of this matter, so she hurriedly asked, “Is it a magical beast?”
“No.” The villager quickly waved his hand. After glancing left and right, he lowered his voice and said solemnly, “It is said to be the undead...”
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The firelight flickered and leapt. The moment the word undead appeared, a shadow was added to Luna’s face.
If they were wild undead, their rating would at most be C-Rank. One elite squad could solve all the problems.
Е nu m̀а.і̆d́
What Luna truly worried about was a mage who artificially created undead.
After sending the news back to Ice City overnight, the group set out again the next day.
By the time they left the stable and prosperous central region directly managed by the Duke and arrived at the southern commercial territory governed by Marquis Hughes, it was already three days later.
Luna did want to speed up, but never mind riding a horse, the old Count could hardly endure even the jolting of a carriage. Along the way, they could often hear his grumbling moans.
Fortunately, after they arrived at the commercial territory, where waterways were dense and river transport was developed, they could take a large, steady ship all the way south to the Royal Capital. They no longer had to suffer the exhaustion of travel.
Marquis Hughes was not there, but the nobles of every rank in the territory did not dare slight them. They all came forward as though competing to curry favor and welcome Luna’s convoy.
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It was still the same saying: the young lady might not remember who came, but she would certainly know who did not come.
But during this period, Luna had been learning how to govern a territory from her brother and Eileen. How could she not know the character of these people?
If flattering others could accomplish good deeds, then every last one of them would be a living saint.
Moreover, what truth could there be in a noble’s mouth? Whenever they brought up their own territories, it would inevitably be good weather, the people living and working in peace, and how much hardship they had endured, all to repay the Duke’s kindness.
In the past, Luna would have thought all of this was only natural. To put it plainly, rule was simply managing things layer by layer.
But after reading her brother’s copy of 《The Prince》, she began to realize a core issue. Just like Eileen, who assisted her brother in handling government affairs, if she possessed a group of professionals who only needed to be paid salaries, would she not be able to completely replace these nobles who held ruling authority?
W ẽ b n ov̈е̂l̃ Е̊nù ḿа̇
Fortunately, the nobles before her could not hear Luna’s inner thoughts. Aside from feeling that the young lady’s gaze seemed somewhat disdainful toward them, the scene was still one of joy and harmony.
After requisitioning ships from the commercial territory and taking away the supplies the nobles had voluntarily provided, the large ship raised its sails. Standing at the bow, Luna’s expression also gradually grew cold.
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Her sky-blue long hair danced in the wind. Following the young lady’s gaze, the old Count only saw a group of ragged trackers and, on the mudflats, a shabby village made of rotten wood from who knew where.
“Count Morphy, I have a question I would like to ask you. Why do the residents of the commercial territory, who live in a wealthy region, have lives far harder than the villagers around Ice City?”
The old Count broke into a cold sweat and could only say, “Because the Duke is greater than the Marquis.”
He could not say the answer. Luna knew that he did not dare say the answer.
Е̌n u m̃ а̌
Ever since Oswald took power, he first issued grain for disaster relief, even bringing over two thousand sheep from his own pasture, all to let the people fill their stomachs and supplement their nutrition.
Later, he recruited workers and divided land for reclamation. If residents had no land, they could rent free land. If they had no money to live on, they could enter the city to work. If they encountered bandits, the Duke helped them organize militia patrols and sent the army to suppress the bandits. Moreover, the militia were also paid wages.
The old Count had seen all of this. He also knew perfectly well that the people were increasingly ceasing to take nobles like them seriously.
The only thing he was grateful for was that he had made his fortune in the jewelry business and did not own much land under his name. Otherwise, perhaps one day, the people under his rule would run to the Ducal Estate and cry that Count Morphy’s household should also be searched and confiscated.
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The King and the Duke had newly assumed their positions. The two of them had made it clear that neither would interfere with the other, and that they would first deal with their respective messes. If the King did not speak, who would dare oppose the Duke, who held heavy troops in the Northern Territory?
This time, Luna was going south to congratulate the King on his wedding. Perhaps the King would even warmly receive Luna and ask whether the Duke had been in good health recently, and whether he needed any assistance, so as to draw the Charles family closer...
Ŵеbṅ ȯ.vеl Еn̆ǔ mа̃
Following the river, the group soon left the Northern Territory.
Travel always allowed people to learn quite a bit of geography without realizing it. When warm wind blew against her face, Luna had already changed into a summer floral dress.
Fortunately, after arriving in the Central Region, Luna became much steadier. This change in behavior made the old Count breathe a sigh of relief.
Perhaps the young lady herself also knew that in the Northern Territory, she could be somewhat willful. After all, no matter what happened, His Grace the Duke and Lady Eileen would support her.
But the Central Region was the King’s direct jurisdiction.
As they drew closer and closer to the Royal Capital, the density of cities and villages also grew higher and higher. This was, after all, the land most suitable for human habitation under heaven. Even with little land and many people, the living standards of the residents here remained above the kingdom’s average.
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Very soon, Luna’s group disembarked at the ferry crossing. The Royal Capital was already close at hand. Tall city walls encircled a vast expanse of residences, and on the hill at the center stood the royal palace built from white marble.
This time, Luna did not wear armor, did not carry a horse lance, and did not even ride a horse.
She obediently sat in the carriage, dressed like a true young lady. No, she had returned to the posture a young lady should have, her eyes slightly narrowed as she watched the scenery outside the window.
However, with the experience from last time, along with the movement of her hand resting on her sword hilt, the old Count soon realized that the young lady was not at all settled.
“Young Lady, do not forget His Grace’s instructions to you.”
He braced himself and reminded her, only to receive Luna’s tilted head of confusion in return.
Еn úmа́ .і̂ d́
Luna poked the old Count’s soft belly with her scabbard, as though she had discovered something novel, and happily changed the topic.
“Count, I think you men are the ones suited to having children, especially after growing stout in middle age.”
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The old Count felt helpless. He let her be mischievous and earnestly advised, “My Young Lady, it does not matter if you tease me. The key is that you must always be careful not to make mistakes. Even if the Duke does not punish you, there is still Lady Eileen.”
Luna clicked her tongue. Were they all old foxes? They even knew what other people were thinking. “Fine, fine. I only wanted to go back to my alma mater and walk around. I am telling you in advance, all right?”
Count Morphy: Is that nostalgia for your alma mater? I am too embarrassed to expose you!
Who in Ice City did not know that ever since Young Lady Luna no longer needed to attend Central Academy, she had been happy every day like a wild horse freed from its reins? As long as she was not following Lady Eileen, she could play from morning until night, and her figure could be found in every nook and cranny of Ice City.
Ē n̂ ú m а̄
The old Count could also be considered experienced and knowledgeable. He knew that this sort of retaliatory playfulness was most likely because she had suffered grievances in the past.
Given the Duke’s degree of indulgence toward the young lady, the source of those grievances was almost clearly pointed at the Central Academy.
“Raise the flags!”
As they approached the city gate, the cavalry escorting the convoy lined up in neat formation and moved forward, raising two flags.
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One was the Northstar Banner, which symbolized the Northern Territory. The other was the black-and-red rose flag representing Luna’s personal soldiers.
Immediately afterward, the Royal Capital guards rang a great bell. Several hundred tall soldiers in golden armor opened the city gate wide and raised the ceremonial guard on both sides of the gate.
Е n.um ӓ. ǐ d̄
The commoners entering and leaving the city were driven away, and the road was swept clean. According to regulation, this was a level of treatment only granted when the Duke of a territory personally entered the Royal Capital.
Although the King had long known that only Luna Charles was coming, he still gave such a high level of courtesy.
And so, the guests from the Northern Territory entered the Royal Capital in all their grandeur, escorted by both golden-armored soldiers and rose cavalry.
From the city gate to the Duke’s residence, the prosperous streets had been cleared completely. The residents of the Royal Capital crowded along both sides, vying to crane their necks just to see what kind of person warranted such an impressive display.
“The Northstar Banner. The Duke of the North has come. The last time I saw the Northstar Banner in the Royal Capital must have been seven years ago.”
“Goodness. I heard the newly appointed Duke is a fierce general who beheaded thirty demons in a single battle. Look at that group of cavalry under him. The men are even sturdier than their horses. They have probably all seen mountains of corpses and seas of blood!”
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“How ignorant. They are wearing formal uniforms. This pressure is still restrained. This is only because we are in the Royal Capital. If this were out in the wild, and over a hundred cavalry changed into armor and long spears, the momentum of their charge would scare your pants wet!”
To the residents of the Royal Capital, the Northern Territory had always been the topic they were most interested in.
There were battlefields there, fierce and terrifying demons there, and large-scale cavalry corps like dark clouds pressing down in formation. The wars there had never stopped since the founding of the kingdom.
The people were simple and honest. They understood that humanity’s prosperity and stability were built upon the enormous sacrifices of the Northern Territory.
Heaven knew how many people of virtue and resolve, carrying lofty ambitions to fight the demon race, had joined the army, only to waste half their lives in the Central Army without ever setting foot on the soil of the Northern Territory.
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