Amber Sword

Breson was slightly taken aback, then nodded.

He dismounted and came before the group, saluting Princess Griffine and Knight Commander Nemesia respectively: "Your Highness, Knight Commander Nemesia."

"How is the situation?" Nemesia’s face was pale, with blood at the corner of her mouth. If Brand weren’t supporting her, she might not be able to stand. Yet she asked immediately.

"The first to arrive were the guard units. Frey and Miu Ke commanded the students to repel them several times. Now they’ve retreated to Jugglers Street and Siqi Street, but without fortifications, they seem to be waiting for reinforcements."

Breson answered with pride, and he had reasons to be proud—the students of the Royal Knight Academy were arguably the Kingdom’s most robust force now. They were chosen from the most outstanding young men from all over the Southern territories’ nobility and guard teams. Through systematic learning and training, they had become the highest military caliber talent in Erune.

It wasn’t mere arrogance; history known to Brand also proved this; this officer corps became the main force for the Regent Princess’s subsequent campaigns.

"What about the patrol cavalry? And the Black Blade Legion?" Nemesia frowned.

"They won’t come," Brand interjected. Even amidst the torrential rain, the dock area was ablaze—a sign that Sani’er and his people had succeeded—though Brand didn’t know the Naga Clan was currently attacking the inner city. In his plan, as long as the Naga took the port to distract the Ambeser defenders, it was sufficient.

As for the Black Blade Legion, high above Ambeser, the Flying Dragon Knights from both sides were fiercely engaged, with dragon and raptor corpses occasionally crashing down from the sky, shattering on impact.

For Brand, persuading the Southern Army was quite simple, ironically. Due to the domestic situation in Erune, this army guarding the Kingdom’s borders had fallen into obscurity. In fact, the Royalists tacitly allowed Earl Denier to collude with Madara, making the situation even harder for the Southern Army.

Historically, two years later, after the current commander of the Southern Army, Earl Leidibor, died in battle, this army disintegrated and was erased from history. When Erune revived and Madara invaded a second time, the Southern region fell almost overnight, causing the Valkyrie to be besieged at the Red Canyon—a consequence seeded by the Royalists today.

The fall of the Southern Army looked like a compromise to Count Rangdenier at the time. Though it won the Royalists a victory, it deeply hurt all hearts in the South.

Brand certainly wouldn’t let history repeat itself, but he had always lacked a catalyst. Besides, he didn’t even know where the Southern Army was until Northda appeared, offering him a real opportunity.

The two sides almost immediately agreed, with the desperate Southern Army in urgent need of an ally, especially since Brand could invoke the Princess’s authority. Unlike the Royalists, he had no fondness for Rangdenier, so he turned and betrayed the Earl.

It wasn’t exactly betrayal, as he and the Earl were mortal enemies anyway. The alliance with the Southern Army was mutually beneficial.

Today, the Southern Army has sent what could be described as all of Erune’s most powerful Flying Dragon Cavalry to support the Princess—a part of this alliance, though the alliance involves much more.

Brand only thought that Count Rangdenier’s good days were soon to end.

But the thought quickly passed because everyone was looking at him.

"Our allies are holding them off," Brand promptly replied, "Breson, are there any guard units on King’s Path and Forest Avenue?"

Breson looked at Nemesia beside him; the black-haired female knight looked at Princess Griffine—the Half-Elf Princess stood in the middle of the crowd, wearing a rain cloak, her face still pale from before. She nodded, "Leave everything to Mr. Brand."

"But hold on," Princess Griffine lifted her head, looking at Brand, "Mr. Brand, Ambeser is a historically famous city, with much more precious to the Eruein than money and power settled in its history... If it’s not absolutely necessary, I hope you..."