Warhammer Divine Throne

"Enough, thank you, Bertrand, Estelle, Des." Laine sat on the back of the Pure-blooded Elf Warhorse Grapes, gently encouraging the three of them, "If this operation succeeds, your contributions will be marked on the military medals."

This time, he couldn’t ride the Griffin; the Griffin was too conspicuous, too eye-catching.

"It’s my honor to serve the Count." Bertrand said with his head down, "Now, let me lead the way for you."

"Very well! Let’s move out!"

The ice on the river, strengthened by magic, became incredibly solid. As Bertrand and the others mounted their horses, Laine immediately led eighty knights across the ice layer rapidly.

Five minutes later, after confirming that all knights had crossed, Teresa ceased her spellcasting. Without the support of magic, the strong ice quickly weakened under the river’s impact, returning to its former fragile state.

The female sorcerer gazed absentmindedly in the direction where Laine and the others departed. She didn’t linger long; Teresa mounted her horse, ready to return to the camp to assist Aurora with spellcasting.

This Great Curse Technique would be the key to determining the success of the surprise attack!

...Dividing line of crossing the river at dawn...

In the morning, the Lord of Sharp-Top Palace, Earl Ocasen, awoke from his sleep.

Unlike many Undead Lords in Musillon, Ocasen was truly human, steadfastly refusing to become a Vampire. For various reasons, neither the Blood Red Duke who previously ruled Musillon, the Witch Demon King Akhan who managed the situation in between, nor the current ruler "Viper" Mathew Bade, forced Earl Ocasen to transform into a Vampire.

Because Earl Ocasen has a special status; he’s likely one of the very few nobles from the era of the First Duke of Musillon "Victor" Landuin who still has a clear lineage chart passed down to the present-day Musillon nobles.

This is exceptionally rare because after Musillon suffered three major calamities, the local nobility either defected to Leonais or perished or were transformed into Vampires. Thus, Earl Ocasen became a target that both Brittania and Vampires needed to win over at all costs, essentially "setting an example." The undead aim to prove through Earl Ocasen’s case that the living and the dead can coexist.

Because of this, since coming to Musillon, Ocasen has been highly valued by the Vampires, not only given the title of Earl but also assigned two thousand troops to guard Sharp-Top Palace, an important stronghold in the southern Musillon.

Sharp-Top Palace is a well-maintained ancient castle, with a history that predates the foundation of Brittania. It has a central spiral staircase surrounded by a hall and several bedrooms. Ocasen resides at the top of the tower, while most of his attendants live in the basement.

Ocasen established a stable nearby to care for his and certain knights’ mounts. The interior of the castle is elegantly decorated, better suited for hosting guests than defending against foreign enemies.

A lot of furniture and even guest rooms are adorned with antiques, and the prominent Ocasen coat of arms (three black small flowers surrounding a black lily in a white field) can be seen everywhere.

Notably, the castle displays several exquisite tapestries depicting Musillon’s historical tales, such as the heroic deeds of the First Duke of Musillon "Victor" Landuin defeating the Necromancer, while the times of Mad Duke Meroving and the Fake Holy Grail (Dor Tower) incident are selectively ignored.

Vivid flames burn in the fireplace, and nightly after the sun sets, the Peasants bring a grand dinner to the tower’s inhabitants. Earl Ocasen washes his face with clean water under the servants’ care, planning to go winter hunting today.

Winter hunting is a tradition here, a means for the Lord to demonstrate his authority and control. Earl Ocasen has ruled Sharp-Top Palace for many years, and each year he engages in winter hunting.

The Musillon noble felt some distress over recent southern movements; his subordinates frequently reported that the southern Count Laine was assembling a vast army preparing to attack Musillon.

If Laine were to attack Musillon, Sharp-Top Palace would be the first target of assault; this is a recognized fact across the Kingdom.

Therefore, Earl Ocasen felt quite anxious and was contemplating his course of action.

Ocasen had a secret, one he couldn’t share with anyone.

He was the undercover agent sent to Musillon by the previous Knight King, "Tyrant" John II, who had long planned to conquer Musillon. To implement his plan, John II sent Ocasen, then only in his teens, to Musillon.

As an original Musillon noble, Ocasen had a natural advantage, quickly earning the Red Duke’s favor and smoothly ascending into Musillon’s upper ranks.

Ocasen once believed he could soon play a pivotal role, achieving great merit in John II’s reclamation of Musillon, restoring his dignified status, and becoming a hero of the Kingdom.

In his first year in Musillon, he secretly reported to John II: "My King, I have successfully joined the ranks of the Undead Nobility."

"Very good, my dear Ocasen, hold on,"

In his third year, already a Knight Commander, Ocasen secretly reported to John II: "My King, I have assembled a loyal human following, ready to collaborate from within."