Do you have a problem with necromancers?

Chapter 104 The Fall of Eagle Castle
The tribunal of the Nightshade Legion was found dead on the balcony of a guest room.

When the servants who came in to clean found him, the pool of blood beneath him had already congealed, and his body was stiff.

The person in charge of investigating this case is Toltak Malorne, the younger brother of the Grand Duke Malorne.

According to the customs of border nobles, it is quite normal to have one's brothers assist one's brother, such as the Marquis Fahel's relationship with Darian Fahel.

Tortak was the second-in-command of the Marorne family. Although he did not hold any title, everyone in the castle treated him with utmost respect because the Grand Duke would listen carefully to what he said.

"So, when the murderer committed the crime, no one noticed anything unusual?" Tortak asked to confirm, looking at the castle guards and servants who were on duty outside at the time.

Everyone just shook their heads, their expressions filled with apprehension and unease.

Tortak turned to look at the corpse.

Judging from the posture and position of the body when it fell, it must have been standing on the balcony admiring the scenery when it was shot from a distance and pierced through the throat by an arrow.

The arrows were ordinary feathered arrows, without any identifying marks. Whether they were archers from High Rock Keep or soldiers of the Nightshade Legion, they would carve special marks on the ends of their arrow shafts to prove that they had killed their targets when tallying battle achievements afterward.

If the assassin was among these people, he would most likely have cut off the markings on the arrow shaft with a knife when assassinating the tribunal to ensure his identity remained undiscovered.

However, at this moment, the arrow shaft in Toltak's hand did not show any signs of being cut by a sharp weapon.

In other words, the murderer did not have any need to record his combat achievements in his daily life.

In Tortak's memory, there were two professions that used these unmarked arrows.

One was a hunter, but it was obviously impossible for a hunter to infiltrate the heavily guarded High Rock Fortress.

The other is a venomous snake.

Tortak went to the balcony and looked down.

To enhance the guests' stay experience, the guest rooms are situated at a high point in the main castle building, offering easy views of the surrounding towers, the distant High Rock Castle, and the Long River further on.

In other words, the assassin only needs to be on a high point in any tower, and when the tribunal comes to the balcony and leans out, he can shoot an arrow from below, piercing the tribunal's throat.

Tortak instructed the castle steward to go to the black market to find the rat for confirmation, while he himself went to the Grand Duke of Malorne's study to give a preliminary summary report on the case.

"...Based on the current evidence, it is highly likely that someone placed a commission in the snake's nest to buy the life of Tribunal Rosa."

The Grand Duke didn't speak, but rubbed the center of his temples in annoyance.

Who the murderer is is not important; what matters is how to handle the aftermath.

The Grand Duke has ordered a strict news blackout. All guards and servants who know of the tribune's murder have been placed under strict control, and a decision will be made on whether to completely confuse them depending on the circumstances.

Given enough time, the Nightshade Legion will surely notice something is wrong. Fortunately, Legion Commander Claudius has a very bad relationship with Tribunal Rosa, so if he's willing to cooperate, there's still a chance to minimize the impact of the Tribunal's death.

Fate is so ingenious. The Grand Duke originally intended to remove Claudius from power, because a senior legion commander who could achieve dictatorship in the Nightshade Legion posed too great a threat to the Malorne family... With the tribunal's unexpected death, the two sides will soon turn from enemies to friends, and even enter a honeymoon period in their relationship.

“Go and invite the Legion Commander over.” Grand Duke Malorne finally made up his mind. “No, I will visit him myself.”

Claudius did not want to be visited by the Grand Duke of Malorne, because the two had been engaged in an almost endless argument, nonsense, and sarcastic remarks about who should send troops first.

As the tribune Rosa analyzed, Grand Duke Malorne was eroding his prestige as a feudal lord, but Commander Claudius could not withstand the rapidly escalating political pressure from the capital. Therefore, if this dragged on, it would be the Nightshade Legion that would eventually be unable to withstand the pressure and send troops.

Therefore, Claudius has been frequently communicating with the nobles of the bountiful lands, trying to persuade them to send troops to support Eagle's Citadel, but with little success. Most of the nobles are not actually afraid of offending Grand Duke Malorne, but rather do not want to pay the price for the defensive war themselves, hoping that others will send troops so they can hitch a ride.

"What brings Your Excellency the Duke here again?" he asked rather coldly. "If it is still about sending troops, please forgive me for not engaging in further discussion."

“That’s not the case.” Grand Duke Malorne paused for a moment, then said seriously, “Your legion’s tribunal, Rosa Chegori, came to High Rock yesterday, but was found dead in his guest room today.”

Although Claudius suppressed any facial muscles that might change due to emotional fluctuations with great willpower, the Grand Duke, who was well prepared, still saw a fleeting joy in his eyes.

"Oh?" Claudius said indifferently, "The security situation at High Rock Fortress is truly worrying, which is why I have legion soldiers guarding my residence. If you lack professional and qualified personnel in this regard, I can also allocate a company of soldiers to lend to you."

Grand Duke Malorne simply smiled faintly and said:

"The security of the castle is no concern of the Legion Commander. The problem now is how to explain the death of His Excellency the Tribunal to the capital."

"Then please, Your Excellency, investigate the matter thoroughly and provide a proper report to the court." Claudius said with a completely indifferent attitude.

The person died in your Gaoyan Fortress, how can you completely absolve yourself of responsibility? Do you think the emperor and his court ministers are all fools?

“Well, I think it’s better not to investigate too thoroughly,” Grand Duke Malorne said indifferently. “After all, the Fertile Lands are facing the threat of the Savage Army, and the Nightshade Legion’s support is indispensable to the River Reach. The Malorne family is willing to cooperate with the Legion Commander to minimize the negative impact of His Excellency’s accidental death.”

Claudius instantly understood his unspoken meaning, and a strong anger immediately appeared on his face.

The tribunal's death occurred at High Rock Castle, and Grand Duke Malorne is undoubtedly responsible. However, if he is determined to implicate Claudius, it's not entirely impossible. After all, it's unlikely the capital will send anyone to investigate (and even if they did, what could they do?), and ultimately, the circumstances of the crime scene will be determined by Grand Duke Malorne's word.

For Claudius, the feud with the Grand Duke was merely a matter of duty, fundamentally different from the threat of a trusted confidant like the tribune. As the other party stated, if the Grand Duke and the legion commander were to implicate each other in court, it would inevitably lead to insufficient and untimely support for the Fahr family. And if the bountiful lands were to be invaded and plundered by the savage army, the resulting guilt would be far more serious than any "accidental death of the tribune."

The choice between fighting each other and losing, or deceiving the court together and winning together, is not difficult.

Claudius quickly suppressed his anger and said:
"In that case, please have High Rock City issue a conscription order as soon as possible so that the nobles of River Bend Province can begin mobilization."

“Hmm,” Grand Duke Malorne said solemnly, “I will immediately sign the mobilization order, and I also ask the Nightshade Legion to prepare to set off as soon as possible. The mobilization efficiency of the nobles can never compare with that of the Imperial Legion.”

“Alright, I’ll send out the raven right away,” Claudius said decisively.

Soon, the Grand Duke's vassal summons and Claudius's order to assemble his legions were sent out simultaneously by the raven.

Now that the decision to send troops has been made, it is natural to inform Rein Fahre. This man is the backbone of the Fahre family, and we must return to the southern part of the Fertile Lands as soon as possible to organize the defense and hold Eagle Fortress to the death, making sure to hold out until reinforcements from the River Bend Province arrive.

Claudius and Renn were on good terms, so he went to inform Renn personally.

When Raine heard the knocking, he told Dia to go open the door.

Claudius had just entered the room when he suddenly blurted out:
"Did you kill Rosa?"

"Huh?" Renn looked puzzled, his eyes seeming to say, "What are you talking about?"

"No, it's nothing." Claudius shook his head, suppressing his doubts.

To kill a legionary tribunal without anyone noticing in the heavily guarded High Rock Fortress would be the work of a legendary assassin in the Serpent's Nest, and the cost of such an operation is far beyond what a border marquis could afford. Grand Duke Malorne is far more suspicious than him.

"I've come to tell you that High Rock City and the Nightshade Legion have decided to join forces to deal with the savage army of the Serpent Mountains," Claudius said solemnly.

Raine was only stunned for a moment, then a look of delight appeared on his face. Even though Claudius was in a high position and had seen countless people, he could not find any suspicious flaws in his expression.

"That's wonderful!" he said excitedly. "In that case, let's quickly discuss and decide on a specific war strategy!"

"Wait a moment," Claudius reminded him. "Before that, you should return to the Faher family as soon as possible."

"Don't forget, the savage army is still attacking your clan's territory, and your leadership as the clan chief is indispensable. We can discuss specific war strategies after we arrive at Eagle Hold. But if Eagle Hold unfortunately falls and the savage army enters the Fertile Lands, then no matter how perfect the pre-agreed strategy is, the overall result will still be a crushing defeat."

“Ah, yes, that’s right.” Renn seemed to have calmed down from his euphoria. “I need to get back to my tribe as soon as possible.”

"Your Excellency Duke Malorne will provide you with the fastest horse in Highrock," Claudius said solemnly. "The safety of the Fertile Lands rests on your shoulders, Renn!"

"Our Fahre family's mission is to guard the southern gateway for River Bend Province!" Renn said through gritted teeth. "I will never let a single savage set foot on the Land of Fertiles!"

Without delay, the group quickly changed into horses and sped away from Gaoyan City, heading south.

"Raine, you've finally grasped the essence of our Dark Elf court politics!" Bersalia galloped along the road, laughing heartily. "Once you assassinate that most crucial figure, all obstacles in your path will crumble before you like a castle whose supporting blocks have been dismantled!" "Don't use such tactics!" Ellina said angrily, riding alongside Raine. "Assassination is the worst option. You can successfully deceive everyone countless times, but if it leaks out even once, everyone will choose to be your enemy!"

The elven princess is not an exaggeration. If Raine's identity as a necromancer were discovered, it certainly wouldn't be the White Walkers that everyone would want to kill.

“Don’t listen to her,” Fatin retorted, standing on Bersalia’s side. “The slave legion also formed the Nightblade Squad back then, specifically to assassinate key generals of the Elven Empire. It has proven that assassination is the simplest and most effective method, allowing us to achieve many victories that would otherwise require paying a heavy price on the front lines!”

“I think so too,” Aurora agreed. “Give me more of these kinds of missions in the future. The arrows of the Eye of Nature will never disappoint you.”

Seeing that the other heroes did not support her, Ellina seemed a little exasperated and turned to look at Dia, who was left speechless.

"Uh." Dia hesitated for a moment, "Raine, will it be tiring to play dumb in front of Claudius?"

“Of course,” Ryan replied. “That guy is a shrewd one, not easily fooled.”

"So, assassination itself isn't difficult, but the key is how to avoid being discovered, which is the most troublesome part," Dia concluded.

“In this case, Claudius is only uncertain. It’s not certain that he has completely eliminated his suspicions about me.” Renn nodded in agreement. “If a few more similar incidents occur, even if he doesn’t have any evidence, he will probably conclude that I did it based on his vested interests.”

“That’s right, that’s exactly what I meant.” Elrina breathed a sigh of relief and said seriously, “Assassination should be a last resort. Avoid using it if possible, as the consequences can be disastrous…”

“Eileen,” Berthalia suddenly said, “Why do you seem to care so much about Renn? If it were you at the beginning, you probably wouldn’t say anything, just give me a cold and disdainful look, with that ‘Hmph, a born evil necromancer’ expression… Ah, yes, yes! That’s the expression!”

Ellina gave her a cold and disgusted look, as if to say, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

“I don’t think it’s because she’s started to care about me.” Ryan gently lifted the reins, slowing his mount down as he stepped onto the swaying wooden bridge ahead. “She just realized that continuing to fight me wouldn’t get her anywhere, but if she could persuade me to do less evil, at least she could save more people.”

"You didn't harm anyone, did you?" Fatin said, bewildered. "Is this the Elf Princess? How did she develop this self-righteous logic?"

"Shut up, I'm not being self-righteous!" Ellina said angrily. "If you're going to unite all forces to fight the White Walkers, you can't make yourself an enemy of the whole world. I'm just reminding you of that!"

“I understand, I understand.” Berthalia said with a forced smile, “Eileen didn’t show any concern for Renn; she was just doing her job. After all, she’s pretending to be a wife, so she has to be professional, right?”

"What? A wife!" Fatin was immediately shocked and said to Renn, "You are human, how can you marry an elf?"

“Wait, why can’t humans and elves intermarry?” Bersalia immediately protested. “If they can’t intermarry, where do half-elves come from? There are a lot of half-elves in the Imperial Highlands Province, and they are all descendants of dark elves and humans, okay?”

"Hmph, I was just giving you a heads-up," Fatin said with a sullen expression. "How could an executioner who slaughtered human slaves willingly marry a human? If you trust her pretense too much, you might suffer a great loss in the future..."

She slowed her mount down and moved to the back to ride alongside Dia, and the two began to whisper to each other.

Ellina's face turned ashen. She wanted to retort fiercely to Fatin, but then she thought that she was only pretending to be Renn's wife and didn't actually have any relationship with him. If she reacted too strongly, it would only arouse suspicion, so she could only remain silent.

As the group entered the Land of Abundance, they noticed a significant increase in the number of nobles lining the Imperial Road. Perhaps due to the impending invasion of the savages, the number of knights accompanying the nobles had generally increased considerably.

However, most of the nobles went north, not south.

Renn gave a wink, signaling Dia to go and stop one of the nobles to inquire about the situation.

The nobleman was initially somewhat impatient, but seeing that Dia's demeanor was acceptable, like that of a young lady from a noble family (according to Ellina's etiquette training), he patiently replied:

"It is said that the savages of the Serpent Mountains have breached the Eagle Fortress of the Faher family, and the Land of Abundance will soon suffer."

Dia was immediately shocked and quickly asked:

"Are you telling the truth? Eagle Fortress has already fallen, but what about Sea Rock City? Salt Island? The Fahre family?"

“How would I know?” the nobleman said, spreading his hands. “The Faher family suffered a calamity recently, and the entire clan was almost wiped out. Eagle Fort’s defenses were also greatly weakened. How could they possibly withstand the invasion of the savage army? They might not even be able to hold the entire Fertile Land. We must quickly cross the Long River to seek refuge in the Riverlands.”

Daiya quickly turned her horse back to the group and shouted:
"Raine, it's terrible! Eagle Fortress has been breached..."

She relayed the nobleman's words truthfully, which made the heroes look serious and frown in silence.

Many Eagle Knights followed Dolowell in the rebellion, turning to capture Searock City, only to be killed in the counterattack led by Raine, which undeniably weakened Eagle Keep's defenses. Even though weapons and armor could be salvaged from the fallen Eagle Knights, a fully trained adult male is not something that can be easily recreated.

If Eagle Keep is indeed captured by the savage army, not only will the southern gateway to the Fertile Lands be wide open, but more importantly, the road to Searock City for Raine and his companions will also be blocked, making the situation extremely troublesome.

Renn couldn't be sure if this claim was true or false, so he could only urge everyone to drive at top speed and head south.

After crossing the Raging Tide River, the area ahead enters the territory of Eagle Fortress.

Along the way, the group did not see any of the Eagle Knights on patrol or reconnaissance, which made everyone feel quite heavy-hearted.

As the outline of Eagle's Fortress walls appeared in the distance, Aurora, whose eyesight was the best, suddenly said:
"Raine, the black raven flag on the castle is gone."

If even the Fahel family's raven banner had been torn down, then Eagle's Keep had most likely fallen. But strangely, after capturing Eagle's Keep, the savage army did not continue north to raid the Fertile Lands, which was clearly illogical.

"Raine, let me go!" Dia said earnestly. "It's been so long since I've transformed into a dragon!"

"What do you want to do, turn into a dragon?" Renn tapped her head. "That's my Eagle Castle! If the castle is missing a brick, I'll take one off you as payment!"

This time, no one could complain, because Eagle Castle really was the Fahel family's Eagle Castle. If it was burned to a crisp by Dia's dragon flames, the subsequent repairs would be a huge problem. So, they really couldn't let Dia transform into a dragon and bomb it.

“In that case, I’ll use my unerring long-range archery…” Aurora was about to volunteer when she suddenly said, “Renne, there are knights coming over there!”

Suddenly, a group of fully armed knights charged out from the distant woods.

Wearing winged steel helmets and wielding lances or swords, they were Fahel's family knights, shouting as they repeatedly scattered the fleeing savages, completely crushing their morale, and then finishing them off one by one.

"Who goes there?!" A knight galloped over, and upon seeing Renn's appearance, he immediately reined in his horse, quickly dismounted, and cried out with tears in his eyes, "My lord! You've finally returned!"

As Renn rode on his horse, he looked around with an air of authority and discovered that this person was actually an acquaintance—the family knight, Maiser, who had accompanied and escorted Renn and his companions on their journey to the capital.

"How is the situation at Eagle Fortress?" Renn asked.

“The situation is complicated, please allow me to explain in detail,” Maiser said quickly.

Since Dolores' death, no one in the Fahre family has been able to claim the title of Eagle Keep. Therefore, Darryl acted as patriarch and appointed Knight Mather to take over the defense of the Eagle Knights. Knight Mather had served the Fahre family for more than 20 years and had proven his reliability in terms of loyalty. He was someone Darryl trusted very much.

After the warning of the savage invasion came from Ravenburg, Maiser dispatched cavalry scouts to the south to monitor the movements in the Serpent Mountains. However, the savages arrived far faster than the Fahl family had anticipated, and the militia mobilization in Searock City was not even complete.

Eagle Keep was quickly surrounded by the savage army. Due to insufficient food and manpower in the city (again, Dolores's fault), Mather had no choice but to organize all the knights to break out from the north gate. Relying on the speed of the cavalry and their strong armor and sharp swords, they managed to break through the encirclement and then fought their way through the savage troops that came to intercept them. Finally, they met up with Raine and the others at this place.

After hearing Maiser's explanation, Ryan felt relieved.

If the conflict drags on for a few more days, and the savages who occupy Eagle Fortress manage to acquire ships to carry their army across the Raging Tide into the Land of Fertility, the situation will become incredibly complicated.

As for now, all we can say is that there is still hope.

Mather quickly gathered the remaining Eagle Knights, and more than a hundred men surrounded Renn, awaiting Marquis Fahel's next instructions.

“Next, we will bypass Eagle Hold and head south,” Raine ordered.

The Eagle Knights exchanged bewildered glances: Go south? That's the Serpent Mountain Range! Won't we run into the savage army that's coming after us?
Rein sighed helplessly. He had only been in charge of the clan for a short time and his authority was too shallow to command the clan knights to obey orders without question. Their loyalty was even less than that of the gold and silver robes of the Imperial Guard.

Knight Mather, however, was quick-witted enough and soon roared:

"Yes! I will obey Your Excellency's orders!"

The Eagle Knights, as if waking from a dream, began to pound their breastplates with their fists and shout:
"Yes! I will follow your orders!"

(End of this chapter)