Throne of the North.

Chapter 662 Unobstructed Passage Through the Frozen Ground
A knightly army of a hundred men left Rhinoceros Horn Mountain.

This was something that Brand wouldn't normally be willing to go to, but Ryan considered the rest of his followers...

Every time Bogeld goes out, chaos ensues; it would be a miracle if he didn't bring back a few noblewomen.

Egil might just start a duel, and those noble knights, provoked, would surely die.

When Signy goes out, he may not bring back slaves.

After much thought, Brand is the only suitable candidate. He is steadfast and righteous, and unlikely to cause any major conflicts.

Northwind Province has six or seven counties in total, and Brand took only a few days to convey Ryan's request.

There were no problems in many places, whether it was the nearby Tieshan County or the more distant Yinchuan County. Viscount Walter, Viscount Hogg, and a group of nobles had already received Ryan's letters, and Brand's arrival was more like a routine procedure.

The only trouble is in Northwind County and Thundercloud County.

Earl Winter looked at Brand, scrutinizing the guardian knight of Baron Ryan.

"I heard Ryan has become a legend? He doesn't seem to have any intention of inviting us."

Generally speaking, when a noble becomes a legend, it is an event that is recorded in history. The noble's own family genealogy will record it in great detail. In this record, the other nobles who set off the legendary status are naturally used as background.

The fact that Ryan did not send out invitations led Earl Winter to suspect that Ryan had not become a legend.

Indeed, Earl Winter is quite old, but he has always maintained his position in the Holy Realm. He watched Ryan grow up little by little after he came to Northwind Province, and he was often the background character for Ryan. Of course, Earl Winter found it hard to accept this.

"Lord Ryan will invite Lord Winter. Lord Ryan has become a legend, there is no doubt about that."

Brand said firmly.

"I don't have any more slaves to send to Zero Crossing City from my territory, and I don't need the profit share from the Northern Warriors Guild."

Brand didn't move, and Earl Winter said somewhat angrily:

"What, does Ryan intend to wage war against me because of this?"

Earl Winter never admitted that he was weaker than Ryan, while Brand, standing opposite him, remained ramrod straight.

“I have come at the behest of Lord Ryan, and he has reached an agreement in his letter to Lord Winter that you will send a group of slaves to Zero Crossing to participate in the gladiatorial combat.”

"You cannot go back on your word."

Earl Winter was even angrier.

"Who reached an agreement with him? You mean the reward Ryan mentioned in the letter, where he saved Northwind Province and then demanded payment from me for it?"

“A slave belonging to Winter will never become a slave to Ryan.”

"You go."

Brand remained unmoved and said:

“I must obey Lord Ryan’s will, Earl Winter. Your territory has enough slaves, and they will not belong to Lord Ryan, but will become the squires of the Eight Knights.”

“If you refuse Lord Ryan’s request, then I will challenge you, or Lord Hora Winter, but Lord Hora is not a Sanctuary and he is no match for me.”

Earl Winter looked at Brand with a cold gaze.

"What right do you have to challenge me? As a count or nobleman, what makes you think I should accept your challenge?"

“If you or Lord Hora do not accept this, then Northwind County will lose the interests of the Northern Merchant Guild for many years to come. You should know that after the war in Redwing Plains ended, Grand Duke Meyers had already given up on winning over the nobles of Northwind Province.”

"The Northern Border Chamber of Commerce is now the only chamber of commerce in the Northern Wind Province. Other chambers of commerce in the empire will go to Zero Crossing City. If they do not want to stay on the Northern Wind Avenue, they will not dare to rob the Northern Border Chamber of Commerce's supplies on this land."

"At the same time, Lord Ryan will not guarantee that you will still be able to participate in the political meetings of the Northwind Province. In the future of the Empire, the Northwind Province will do its best to gain more political influence within the Empire in order to develop a better Northwind Province."

"As for the war, Earl Winter admits that your Unicorn Wolf Cavalry has not yet recovered to the strength it was five years ago, and they are no match for the Buck Legion I lead."

Earl Winter's eyes revealed deep apprehension, and he gave a cold snort before falling silent.

On the other side, Countess Winter stepped forward and coldly addressed Brand:
“Go back now. We will arrange for slaves to go there. In addition, we will also send knights to compete for the title of Eight Knights. They are slaves of the Winter family and will not become someone else’s slave just because of Ryan.”

"Thank you for your generosity."

Brand performed the knightly ceremony and then left the Earl of Winter's territory.

After Brand left, Lady Winter looked at Earl Winter.

"He's just a guardian knight, why are you getting angry with him?"

"Hmph! Ryan is getting more and more arrogant lately."

"He has the right to be arrogant; even the Nightmare Knights of Grand Duke Meyers suffered losses at his hands."

"It's truly astonishing that Baron Ryan possesses such formidable strength. How many years has it been since we've witnessed the formidable military prowess of the Frozen Territory?"

"The Countess of Winter said, and the Earl of Winter fell silent."

On the day of the war in Redwing Plains, the sky darkened and the earth trembled. Earl Winter was the only one who could watch from afar because he had a wife who was a Saint-level space mage.

Of course, it was only from a distance that he was shocked by the sheer size of the commotion.

“The small tundra territory simply cannot support such a large army; Ryan is just a baron.”

"Of all the people in the North Wind, only you cannot accept that a baron is so powerful."

Earl Winter was still somewhat unwilling.

"The north wind belongs to us."

“Since you were no longer the governor, the Northwind Province has been under the control of the Marquis of Northwind. Ryan suppressed two Marquises of Northwind.”

"Damn it, how did he do that? It's only been a few years. Is he really favored by the God of Light?"

……

Brand led his army into Thundercloud County.

The nobles here would not refuse Ryan; only the mother of the Marquis of Northwind on Thundercloud Mountain is qualified.

"Has Ryan truly received divine favor?"

Brand hadn't originally approached the Marquis de Northwind because Ryan's plans didn't require the Marquis de Northwind to also support slaves.

They didn't have many slaves at all; Shaya came to them on her own initiative.

Seeing the glint in the woman's eyes, Brand didn't dare to speak so directly and confidently as he had when facing Earl Winter.

Why are you asking this question?

Marquis Northwind's mother, strictly speaking, was not a noblewoman with a title, so Brand didn't need to show her too much rigid respect. "Ordinary divine favor certainly couldn't have given Ryan such great power in just a few years, let alone made him a legend."

"I suspect he has divine blood in him. Is he really Earl Clayton's child?"

Brand had a bit of a headache and said:

"Lord Ryan is the son of Earl Clayton, that is beyond doubt."

“That’s impossible. Ryan’s rise to power is too short. He shows no signs of having any real strength. It’s like he appeared out of thin air. He can even make the Kingdom of Andara and the Kingdom of Coran listen to him.”

Saya knows more.

"Doesn't Lord Clayton have any doubts?"

In fact, Earl Clayton was clearly the first to suspect it. Before anyone knew how powerful Ryan was, two terrifying imperial retainers had already confirmed that his body and soul were Ryan's.

Of course, Earl Clayton's suspicion wasn't about Shaya's vulgar ethical schemes, but rather whether Ryan had been replaced by the gods.

“If he has divine blood in his veins, then Ryan is a born demigod.”

Saya murmured to herself, her gaze fixed on her child, lost in thought.

Can mortals truly become demigods in a normal form?

Shaya looked at Brand and said:

“Go back and tell Ryan to have a child with me. Maybe Clayton’s bloodline won’t work, but Ryan’s bloodline might.”

“His bloodline may be stronger than that of the royal family of the Flor Empire.”

"Just like Lord Rice, back then..."

Shaya's eyes were eager, and Brand was completely outdone, so he simply left.

"She seemed to have said something, but..."

Brand shook his head. He felt that time was passing slowly. He seemed to have been standing in front of Shaya for almost ten minutes, but in his memory, the two of them had only been talking for two or three minutes.

What about the rest of the time? Where did that lost time go, and what happened during that time?
On the other side, Saya's eager eyes turned ferocious, filled with pain and fear. She trembled as she endured the horrific punishment.

"Has memory and time been severed again?"

"The power of the gods is truly formidable, my esteemed mother, Lord Rhys Enrique."

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, but she gritted her teeth and resisted, muttering something under her breath.

……

Brand returned to Zero Crossing City, but instead of going back to Rhinoceros Horn Mountain, he followed the North Wind Road to the Kingdom of Andara.

According to the rules, the armies of nobles, including the nobles themselves, cannot appear in other kingdoms or other noble territories without a formal name.

Over the past century, rules like "the collapse of rites and music" have become less strict, and nobles can use them as a pretext. However, when Brand's group heads east, no one will stand up to condemn them.

They are just curious.

In both the Kingdom of Andara and the Kingdom of Sera, Ryan holds a high-ranking noble position, so the flag of Rhinoceros Horn Mountain is not considered hostile to the kingdoms.

"I have come in accordance with Lord Ryan's will. The Northern Warriors Guild of the Kingdom of Andara has been established for two years. Lord Ryan plans to send adventurers from the Kingdom of Andara to Zero Crossing City to compete with adventurers from the Empire for the title of Eight Knights."

"Those who obtain the title of the third batch of Eight Knights will receive weapons, armor and warhorses personally customized by the Frozen Territory, the Badge of the Northern Warrior, and the Northern Warrior Guild will support them and their noble territory for one year by providing resources to purchase superior weapons and equipment at a lower price."

"The Kingdom of Andara will not be an exception for any reason."

Brand is speaking with Knight Daryl and King Andara.

After becoming king, the young emperor matured considerably, but he still didn't understand.

“What is Ryan trying to do? Allowing adventurers from the kingdom into the empire is against the rules.”

Knight Daryl stood by without saying a word. He had a better relationship with Ryan and respected Ryan's power more. Only he knew what Ryan's earlier call to recruit top-tier Saints meant.

Ryan is capable of creating legends.

This filled Daryl with boundless awe; in his mind, Ryan was more like a god walking among humans.

“With Lord Ryan here, Your Majesty, you have absolutely no need to worry about these issues.”

"The lands before the North have every reason to unite and fight against the terrible disaster."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, not only adventurers from the Kingdom of Andara, but also adventurers from the Kingdom of Sera, adventurers from the Gerald Noble Territory, and adventurers from the Southern Lands will all be heading to Zero Crossing City this year."

"Zero Crossing City will tell the whole world that humanity has not forgotten to fight against the ice and snow disasters in the north."

Things went quite smoothly in the Kingdom of Andara.

In contrast, the Kingdom of Sera has many areas of hesitation.

“We are, after all, a land that serves the faith of the Dawn, and the Holy Mountain would never want to see our relationship with the Empire improve.”

"The relationship between Ryan and the Empire is the same as that between the Holy Mountain and the Empire. The Holy Mountain won't care about such details; they will only send questions."

The Kingdom of Sera is in an awkward position. They are close to the Empire and surrounded by the faith of the Light, but this land is also inhabited by the faith of the Lord of Dawn.

Because the Dawn Church has established itself firmly, the Sera royal family cannot break away from it. Moreover, since the Empire recognizes the Kingdom of Andara, it will naturally reject the legitimacy of the Kingdom of Sera.

Moreover, in the recent Southern War, the Flor Empire had just beheaded the King of the Kingdom of Carlos under some pretext.

That reason could even be applied to King Sera's head.

"No army from the Empire will be able to enter the Kingdom of Sera from the North Wind Road, unless Ryan allows it."

Brand repeated what Ryan had said.

Roland McReynolds looked at Brand and laughed; he was arguably the most politically astute member of the Sierra royal family.

Ryan's words would not only anger the emperor of the Flor Empire, but also terrify the nobles.

"According to you, Ryan should break away from the Empire and establish the Ryan Kingdom."

"Lord Ryan has his own loyalty."

Brand firmly denied it, saying that if it were Bogeld, he might have agreed.

"One month left? That's a bit rushed. Not many adventurers from the Kingdom of Sera will go to Zero Crossing City. As for slaves, there are quite a few recently. You can take some with you."

Brand led his army from the Frozen Territory, moving unimpeded across the eastern lands, from the Empire to the Kingdom, then to the Noble Territories, and finally appearing in the southern lands. The banner of Rhinoceros Horn Mountain flying high served as the best pass for passage.

(End of this chapter)