Lord: I have a Mount & Blade panel.

The reason we remain loyal is simply because the risks far outweigh the benefits.

If Prince Anduin were truly loyal, he would have already led a large army to Gondun to support his king.

Now, Ganton's only hope lies in the reinforcements from the northern provinces. If Ganton falls, or if the northern provinces also betray their king, then this will be the final straw that breaks the back of the Augustus family.

However, this place is far from Gondor, and the latest news will take some time to arrive.

Although Richard was even more anxious than Sylvie, he couldn't show it.

Because he saw greed in this Prince Anduin, a greed that gnaws at the very core!

Such people usually die quickly, but if they are lucky enough to survive, they often cause quite a stir.

When was the last time I noticed this trait in someone? Hmm, it seems like it was just now when I was looking in the mirror.

"We have to run away when the next wave of news from Gangton reaches here."

Richard secretly made up his mind.

He dared not wait here, to gamble that Gundon could hold out.

Only by heading to Gaoyabao can he remain the fourth prince, second only to the emperor, if he wins; if he loses, he will be in charge himself. With the system's support, his future is bright.

After figuring it out, he finally had time to fully absorb the memories in his mind.

This world is made up of multiple continents, and the Kingdom of Empe is located on the continent of Asshal.

On the continent of Assassin, there are not only humans, but also many other intelligent races such as Behemoths, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings, who live and thrive.

Elves, dwarves, and Behemoths were originally the most powerful forces on the continent of Asahi, with the three races dividing the world into three. However, in the Battle of the Sanggan River thousands of years ago, the elves, dwarves, and Behemoths were bloodied and defeated by the human alliance.

From then on, the elves retreated to the Northstar Forest, and the dwarves, dejected and defeated, guarded their supposedly invincible Ironforge. To this day, the Behemoths can only look on with resentment across the desolate and empty Un'Goro Wildlands at the human kingdoms that occupy the rich lands.

"Elf girls, dwarf lolis, Behemoth beastmen girls... what a rich and diverse world!" Richard couldn't help but exclaim.

The strange XP quickly shattered Richard's deep-seated fear of unfamiliar environments. Moreover, now that he had transmigrated into a prince and brought the Mount & Blade panel with him, with two kings at his disposal, what reason did he have not to challenge his weaknesses?

Besides the diverse array of intelligent species, this world also possesses many extraordinary abilities, such as martial arts, magic, and holy light.

Among the welcoming party were several figures dressed in mage robes.

The original owner was even examined by a magician when he was a child, but his magical talent was not outstanding, so he abandoned magic and turned to literature.

……

The banquet hall of the Red Castle was steaming and filled with the aroma of various foods, while elegant maids moved among the crowd like butterflies among flowers.

In the center of the hall, a bard was playing his harp and singing a ballad. His beautiful voice could probably outshine countless popular young men from the past.

Unfortunately, amidst the clinking of glasses and the lively conversation, few people paid attention to listen.

This is a welcome banquet held to greet Richard.

Prince Anduin sat in the main seat, with Richard beside him.

Opposite her was the prince's wife, with fiery red curly hair. She looked much younger than the prince, yet possessed a maturity that young girls could not have, as fiery and beautiful as a ruby.

Sitting next to him were the prince's children, one boy and two girls, all of whom had the same golden hair as Prince Anduin.

The oldest of them, who looked to be seventeen or eighteen, nodded arrogantly after noticing Richard's gaze, his eyes seemingly containing a hint of disdain.

Richard wasn't petty enough to argue with a little kid; he simply silently memorized the other's face.

The other two girls, one of whom looked to be sixteen, had straight blonde hair unlike Prince Anduin's, and just smiled shyly at Richard.

The last one was only five or six years old and not worth paying attention to at all.

"Richard, I have some bad news to tell you."

After a round of toasts, Prince Anduin elegantly wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, looked at Richard, and suddenly spoke.

Richard's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that news of the fall of Gundon had already reached here?

Just as Richard was imagining whether there were eight hundred axemen and eight hundred archers lying in ambush all around, Prince Anduin spoke again:

"Your father, my king, has been besieged by the rebels in Ganton, and reinforcements from the northern provinces have yet to arrive. If the war continues like this, it will be very disadvantageous for His Majesty."

Richard raised an eyebrow. He had thought it was something else entirely. The fact that the reinforcements from the northern provinces hadn't arrived was indeed bad news for him, regardless of anything else, just out of practical considerations.

But it hasn't reached the point where he can't eat.

"I originally intended to send troops to support His Majesty the King, but due to a prohibition from a hundred years ago, I cannot do so," Prince Anduin sighed.

Before Richard could reply, Prince Anduin suddenly asked again, "Is Richard interested in also becoming the lord of Lionheart?"

The prince's generosity caused those around him to gasp with envy; after all, he was the lord of Lionheart City!

Lionheart is the third richest city in the Fertile Lands, and its annual tax revenue alone is enough to make it incredibly wealthy.

Even though he is the prince's own son, he is now seventeen years old and only has a knight's rank.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Anduin, I don't have that talent." Richard gave a wry smile.

He was pondering what this guy really meant.

"Management can be learned gradually; no one is born knowing it. I've always believed you're a very intelligent child." Prince Anduin's expression was serious. "To be honest, the Kingdom of Empe has experienced such a great upheaval, and even Prince Reik has died in battle."

"I would also like to do my part, but the Longmeya family always remembers the prohibition and will never allow anyone to set foot in the royal territory."

"So I thought, why don't you become the lord of Lionheart City, and I'll provide you with soldiers."

"Would the soldiers of the Rommel family obey the orders of an outsider? I am just a prince, a newcomer, I know nothing, and I have no reputation. How can I command respect? You should know this better than I do." Richard shook his head.

"Why don't you just become the son-in-law of the Rommaya family, and the husband of my daughter Lilia?" Prince Anduin said with a beaming smile. "That way, you'll have a dual identity—a prince, and half a member of the Rommaya family. Let's see who dares to object then!"