Ryan found himself in an unexpected situation. Instead of just holding his wife, he now had both Sulia and the Lady of the Lake in his arms. The Lady had forcefully inserted herself between them, and Sulia, showing a willingness to share, made space for the goddess.
For Sulia, sharing her husband with the goddess was a moment of profound happiness, doubling her joy.
"Lady, could you not do this?" Ryan said, half-jokingly, as he adjusted to give the Lady of the Lake a comfortable spot. "I never stop you from coming over, but can we skip the surprise visits?"
"Do you think I could miss something like this? Didn't I tell you that Sulia and I are a team?" The Lady of the Lake, lazily resting on Ryan, smiled playfully, her stunning face radiating a sense of amusement. "What, you don't like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it, but Sulia and I were having a private conversation. Lady, you..." Ryan's face showed his inner conflict.
"Hmm? You were fine with me being part of your honeymoon, but now you don't want me around?" The Lady of the Lake teased, pinching Ryan's cheek lightly. She didn't push for an answer but leaned on Ryan's left shoulder, adding, "I can give you both plenty of advice, right, Sulia?"
"Of course, Ryan. There's no harm in the Lady hearing our conversation. She's not an outsider," Sulia, resting on Ryan's right shoulder, laughed softly. "Where were we?"
"We were talking about Sulia planning a Winterfest celebration. Sulia, are you serious about it?" Ryan asked, resigned to hugging both the goddess and his wife tightly.
"Why not? It's easier to manage everything if it's unified," Sulia tested Ryan's opinion. "And it's a good opportunity for everyone to gather. After the new year, Emilia will be leaving, and it won't be as easy to get everyone together."
"Alright, if you insist." Ryan had no objections. He was already surrounded by women, and after their grand wedding, he had promised there would be no more additions to their household. Strengthening Sulia's authority in managing the household was necessary, and Ryan supported it.
"I'll officiate the event," the Lady of the Lake added with a twinkle in her emerald eyes. "I'll be involved."
And so, the decision to host the banquet was made.
Their conversation then drifted back to more serious matters: the land reclamation near Blackstone Stronghold and the issue with Duke Hagen of Gisoreux. The presence of the Lady of the Lake had disrupted their earlier focus, and neither Ryan nor Sulia felt sleepy anymore. They lay together, talking: "If all goes well, Duke Hagen will agree to let the dwarves help with the bandit problem. We can then deal with the rebellious serfs using both force and mercy. Those willing to surrender will be treated leniently, provided with food, and can work for the dwarves, clearing land and building trade posts. In three to five years of hard labor, they can earn their redemption. The serfs will likely agree... I prefer not to solve problems with violence. It's meaningless bloodshed. The serfs didn't choose to rebel because they wanted to; they're starving because of Kemmler's attacks. Now they're suffering under the undead and then punished again by the nobles for rebelling, only to be 'forgiven' later. It's ironic. If only we could resolve it like I did with the 'Good Governance Decree,' where all the thieves surrendered voluntarily."
"It's different. The former thieves were a historical leftover problem, and you could use your new status as a count to grant them clemency. But the serfs in Gisoreux are genuinely rebelling. If we don't punish them, it could give them the impression that the nobles fear rebellion, encouraging more uprisings in the future. We can't set that precedent, Ryan. I understand your feelings, but being just to the serfs' contributions doesn't mean we encourage rebellion." Sulia gently explained.
"Indeed, it's ironic. The serfs work hard all year, and because of the undead crisis, they're left with nothing and are forced to rebel. Then we send troops to suppress them, and they have to work hard to redeem themselves again." Ryan sighed, feeling helpless about the situation.
The debate over whether to suppress or appease rebellions has always been a contentious topic. Like the endless argument between doves and hawks, there's no perfect solution. It always depends on the specifics of each situation. In the case of Gisoreux, a mixed approach of suppression and appeasement seemed ideal.
"Ryan, don't dwell on it too much. The serfs farm the land, and the knights provide protection. This has been the kingdom's way for a thousand years. You and François made great sacrifices to defeat Kemmler and his army of undead. Without your efforts, the entire kingdom would be locked in a deadly struggle against the undead. If you had failed at La Maisonelle Abbey, no one could stop Kemmler with the Nagash Staff. There would be countless casualties, and I might have had to intervene directly to fight him." The Lady of the Lake spoke softly, trying to comfort Ryan. "It's not your fault."
"I understand now how it feels to sign an extermination order," Ryan said with a wry smile, a statement that left the Lady of the Lake and Sulia puzzled. Without giving them time to ponder it, he changed the subject: "Maybe we should send Sir Bertrand with a battalion to help Belegar this time."
"That rogue has been knighted too. He's one of the biggest beneficiaries of this war. After more than eighty years, another serf has been knighted, just a step away from becoming a noble knight. He's now a hero known throughout the land. Having a peasant-born leader like him could set a great example. I think it's a good idea." Sulia nodded softly.
After the battle at La Maisonelle Abbey, the people of Bretonnia certainly didn't announce that Kemmler was ultimately killed by the betrayer Juer's axe. Instead, it was decided that Kemmler was shot dead by Bertrand's black arrow and then hacked to pieces in the chaos.
"Speaking of which, Lawn should withdraw too. We don't have the resources for another attack on Mousilon right now," Ryan remarked, shifting the conversation to Mousilon.
After consulting with Ryan, Lawn-Leo Cornwall led a combined force of over ten thousand troops from two duchies in a second assault on Mousilon. Once again, they reached the walls of the city, but Lawn's forces were no match for Mousilon's towering fortifications. Instead, they swept through the surrounding territories, destroying many vampire-controlled structures.
This was one of the reasons why Maricibard decided to retreat. He couldn't let Lawn continue to ravage Mousilon.
After Maricibard returned, Lawn chose not to engage him directly outside Mousilon's walls. Instead, he opted to rely on Mousilon's defensive barriers. Maricibard also had no intention of fighting Lawn head-on. After about ten days of stalemate, Maricibard chose to retreat first. Confirming Kemmler's death, Lawn also withdrew.
Lawn's second campaign against Mousilon had some success. It boosted his prestige and indirectly supported Ryan and François's efforts. Overall, it was a successful military action. King Richard quickly ordered a propaganda campaign, portraying Lawn's assault on Mousilon as decisive and pivotal, with Ryan and François's battle at La Maisonelle Abbey depicted as supporting Lawn's efforts.
Ryan had no opinion on this. He didn't fight for the king; he fought for the kingdom and the Old World.
"Mousilon remains a thorn in the kingdom's side. You need to find a way to remove it, but don't rush. The vampires have centuries of accumulated power there." The Lady of the Lake clung to Ryan's arm, her soft and full chest pressing against him. She wore a black and white silk dress with high-elven patterns, and unusually, she had on white unicorn wool stockings, showcasing her legs' milky, flawless beauty.
Sulia, on the other hand, wore a cream-colored silk nightgown, her long, elegant legs adorned with white lace garter stockings. She knew her husband's ultimate goal was the throne, and to achieve that, he needed to conquer Mousilon and claim the title of Duke.
The knightess looked to the Lady of the Lake for guidance.
"In that case, I'll use a fair, just, and open method to decide who the next Knight King will be." The Lady of the Lake caressed Sulia's smooth, tender face with the back of her hand, signaling her not to worry.
"Fair, just, and open?"
"I will issue a divine decree: among all eligible Grail Knights in the kingdom, whoever can recapture Mousilon and restore the land of Landuin to its former glory will become the new Duke of Mousilon and King of Bretonnia!" The Lady of the Lake tilted her head and kissed Ryan lightly on the lips before continuing, "You, Lawn, and any other contenders will compete on equal terms. I won't favor anyone. Go forth, my champion, and prove to all the knights of the kingdom that you are the rightful king!"
"Excellent…" Ryan smiled. He liked the idea of competing openly and fairly.
"And Ryan, you need to have an heir with Sulia as soon as possible." The Lady of the Lake reminded the couple, "Your future titles must be inherited by your and Sulia's child. That's the bottom line."
"Lady, why bring this up now?" Sulia blushed
deeply, burying her face in Ryan's chest. "We've only been married for just over a year…"
"A year? That's not short. Ryan spends three or four days a week with you, and often…" The Lady of the Lake began to lecture but quickly caught herself, turning red. "Anyway, you two need to spend more time together!"
With that, the goddess vanished in a flash of light, leaving a flustered Sulia and a smirking Ryan.
"It's getting late, my wife. Let's get started~" The count embraced his wife, a mischievous smile on his face. "It's the Lady's decree~"
"Mm~" Sulia blushed even more, lowering her head, unable to meet Ryan's gaze, afraid he might see through her thoughts.
Inside, where the goddess's power surged like stars and another voice echoed in her mind, Sulia knew the Lady of the Lake hadn't gone far.
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