Chapter 201: Uninvited Guests

After hearing Francois' words, Ryan pondered a lot. He had once thought about returning the land rights to the serfs to liberate productivity and promote commercialization. However, Francois' speech made him immediately understand.

What is the main contradiction facing humanity in this world? Is it the contradiction between serfs and knights, or between nobles and commoners?

No, it's not that at all. The fundamental contradiction facing humanity in this world is a matter of life and death. Numerous external enemies surround them, countless internal corruptions exist, vampires and chaotic cults lurk in the upper echelons of society, beastmen and greenskins wreak havoc in forests and wildernesses, and in the not-so-distant northern wastelands and even further in the chaotic wastelands, powerful and evil Chaos armies await their masters.

What guards the nation? Serfs? No, knights and nobles form the main fighting force of a nation. In this respect, the Empire is similar to Bretonnia, though with a distinction being the Empire's main forces comprising a more diverse army, while Bretonnia devotes its nation's efforts to nurturing knights.

Does Francois oppose reform? No, the Duke himself is actually in favor of reforms. He has noticed that the nation's serfdom system is on the verge of collapse and believes that, after hundreds of years since the founding of the nation, the original knightly spirit and codes are gradually becoming superficially decadent. Knights agonize over being unable to touch the Holy Grail, while serfs live in dire straits.

But the Duke was teaching Ryan a lesson. He agrees with Ryan's desire for reform, but the process must be cautious. The existence of knights is the foundation that protects and sustains the nation. If not for the strongest knights of the old world guarding the realm, Bretonnia would have long been in ruins. Serfs cannot bear the responsibility of defending the homeland. Surrounded by countless enemies, any rash action could lead to the nation's collapse and destruction. Chaos and vampires will not wait for humanity to slowly reunify. They would appear immediately and destroy the knightly kingdom.

Ryan knows that one can never expect faithless merchants and weakly devout serfs to fight against evil. Ultimately, protecting the homeland requires knights who offer steadfast faith and loyalty to the Lady of the Lake. They alone are the backbone of the nation.

As a Grail Knight, Francois sees clearly, and Ryan understands too. His actions have already made many great nobles of the kingdom notice something. Francois took the opportunity to tactfully advise him: "I support you, but the time is not right yet. The timing has not matured, just like with the Cavendish incident. The serfs won't be grateful to you."

He is already the biggest beneficiary of this system, and he wouldn't do something as foolish as to bite the hand that feeds him.

Moreover, this world has gods. With enough piety, one can be healed of illnesses through prayer. Some theories are rejected right here.

Strong faith and order are the weapons to fight against Chaos corruption. The more knowledgeable and wise one is, the more they need strong faith and will to avoid being corrupted by Chaos.

In the midst of his contemplations, Ryan and Francois followed the black-robed man to a marketplace.

The marketplace was bustling with people. Many merchants were selling fruits and vegetables, and there were also meat vendors. The black-robed man quickly blended into the crowd. Ryan and Francois attempted to follow, but the appearance of the Grail Knights immediately ignited the street's enthusiasm. The crowd surrounded Francois and Ryan, loudly praising the name of the Grail Knights and blocking the street tightly.

The two had to loudly order the crowd to make way, but the black-robed man immediately noticed Ryan and Francois' appearance and quickly turned into a two-story wooden house, disappearing from sight.

"Damn, we're not suited for this kind of searching," Ryan said to Francois in frustration. "Our identities are too conspicuous. We get surrounded and praised wherever we appear."

"You're right, Ryan." Francois frowned. "That looked like a tavern?"

"Regardless, let's head back to the inn first. If we go to that tavern now, it might expose our intentions," Ryan shook his head. "My Duke, I'll have someone keep watch here."

"Leave it to you," Francois naturally commanded. At his level, the Duke rarely took action personally. Today's situation was just a coincidence.

Ryan nodded, and they returned to the inn. This three-story inn was entirely booked by the Duke. Seeing Francois and Ryan return, the Duke's daughter spoke in surprise, "Father? Ryan? Sylvia said you went out together this afternoon?"

Seeing his beloved daughter, Francois's face was full of smiles. "Isn't your father doing all this for you?"

Sulia's face immediately turned red. "Father... What are you saying!"

Ryan's face twitched. He always felt that Francois's words were meant for him, but he was too lazy to bother with that now. "Hex? Amelia? Come with me."

Hex immediately responded, his expression unchanged and always stern. Only Amelia, sitting next to Sulia, quietly asked, "Do you need my help?"

Excitement tinged the girl's voice.

"Yes, I need your help, Amelia," Ryan beckoned his young maid. "Come with me!"

"Yes... Yes!" Amelia's eyes shone brightly, and she quickly ran to Ryan's side. The sound of her small leather shoes clicked as she approached, appearing like a joyful butterfly.

"My Duke, Sulia, Miss Sylvia, we're heading out," Ryan said as he departed with Amelia and Hex to the location where the black-robed man had disappeared.

Today, Amelia wore a blue wool sweater and a black checkered skirt over her knees, draped in a white cloak, wearing a pair of black leather shoes. Her slender legs were covered in white opaque tights, and her golden hair was tied in a beautiful princess hairstyle. Her blue eyes blinked adorably, exuding a charming quality. It seemed that after spending some time with the female knight, Amelia had become much more cheerful. "Ryan? Where are we going?"

"Amelia, pretend to be a noble lady who needs my protection while strolling through the market," Ryan instructed her, then turned to Hex. "Hex, think of yourself as a wandering knight. Go into that tavern, have a few drinks, and casually inquire with the bartender if a black-robed man entered to stay."

"Understood!" Hex, a native of Le Angouleme, had an advantage.

In Bretonnia, it was customary for serfs, unless permitted or commanded by their lord, to seldom stray far from their village. Over centuries, this led to different customs and local language nuances in various places.

This, Hex, born in the Duchy of Le Angouleme, understood best. As a wandering knight familiar with local dialects and many insider details, he could easily blend into the tavern environment, avoiding covert hostility from other patrons or serfs, making it more convenient to gather information.

Indeed, a few local dialect phrases and subconscious actions immediately made the tavern owner recognize Hex as a local: "Respected knight, what would you like to drink?"

"A Port beer," Hex took out some silver coins. "Remember, if it's watered down, I'll overturn your tavern! The Le Angouleme Lighthouse will prove everything!"

"Of course not, I wouldn't dare deceive a knight, haha~" The giant lighthouse of Le Angouleme, renowned across the Old World, served as a secret signal, and the tavern owner immediately understood that the knight before him was not to be trifled with. He filled a wooden beer mug from a wooden barrel with the dark, frothy Port beer, a specialty of Le Angouleme, though its taste was inferior to the ale Hex preferred in his domain.

The knight drank half the mug in one gulp, then burped unrefinedly: "Ah~ The taste of home."

"Haha, Sir Knight must be returning home to watch the Knightly Tournament," the bartender said, finding business slow today and happy to chat more with the knight. "Many outsiders have come for the upcoming Knightly Tournament. Just now, two Grail Knights appeared on the street!"

"Yes, I saw them," Hex replied without a smile, seizing the chance to ask, "Did a black-robed man enter here just now?"

"Ah? Oh." The bartender's expression froze momentarily before replying. "Yes, a black-robed man did come in here. He ordered two ales and some food to take away."

"Can you be more specific?" Hex asked seriously.

"Sir Knight, we're in business and have basic rules to follow. I can only tell you that he ordered two ales, then left in a hurry. His accent didn't sound like it's from here or the Empire... That's all I can say," the bartender told Hex.

Hex clenched his fist, tempted to ask more, but the well-educated wandering knight knew he wouldn't learn much more. He finished his beer, then took out a gold krona, handing it to the bartender. "Did you see which direction he went?"

Meanwhile, Hex laid his sword on the counter.

"..." The bartender hesitated briefly, covertly pocketing the gold krona, then leaned in and whispered in Hex's ear. "See that black carriage outside, down that road?"

Hex looked outside the tavern. Indeed, in an alley across the street, there was a black carriage.

"He got on that," the bartender whispered. "Don't say it was me."

Hex nodded and pushed the mug aside, standing up.

At that moment, Ryan and Amelia were pretending to shop, the girl following happily behind Ryan, while vendors eagerly pushed their goods onto the noble Grail Knight, their faces fervent with zeal.

"20% off! Noble Grail Knight, we have the finest southern fabrics, only five silver coins!"

"These are nearby apples, the sweetest, Grail Knight!"

"Pork, top-quality pork! Thirty-five copper coins per pound!"

Ryan and Amelia looked around, buying many things. Ryan thought Amelia seemed very happy, like a little bird. He waited for Hex's signal.

The wandering knight pushed through the crowd, reaching Ryan's side. "My Baron, see that carriage?"

The black carriage stood alone in a small alley, unresponsive to the outside world.

"The black-robed man got on that carriage?"

"Yes, the bartender said he had a strange accent, not like Old World or Empire. He ordered two ales and some food, then boarded that black carriage," Hex reported quietly.

"…Asking for food means the black-robed man isn't dead or a vampire." Ryan pondered before deciding to wait and see. "Let's not act rashly yet. Amelia, I need your help."

"Yes!" Amelia took out many disguise items, and the three found a secluded spot.

Ten minutes later.

A tall, dirty beggar in ragged clothes approached the carriage unsteadily, stretching out his dry hands, leaning on the front of the black carriage, then speaking into the carriage curtain. "Ah~ Sir, please be kind. I haven't eaten for three days, sir!"

"Yes, please, sir!" Several beggars nearby quickly joined in, stretching their dry hands towards the carriage.

The carriage curtain lifted, and a staff burning with blue flames extended from inside, pressing against the lead beggar's head.

The lead beggar, seemingly petrified by this terrifying turn of events, immediately raised his hands. "Blessings of the Lady! Praise the Lady! I didn't mean anything else, I just..."

"Go away!" The person inside hesitated briefly, hearing the beggar loudly invoke the Lady of the Lake's name, then said in a low voice.

"Yes, yes! Praise the Lady! Praise the Lady! I'm going, going." The beggar's face paled as he retreated, then scampered away from the street corner like a beaten dog.

Seeing this, the black carriage started to move, strangely without a driver, but the horses moved on their own, heading deeper into the alley.

Inside the carriage, a young voice said, "Father, why didn't we kill that beggar?"

"No, didn't you notice? Grail Knights just appeared nearby. If we kill indiscriminately, we might attract those two Grail Knights! Now, focus on your goal. You must win this Knightly Tournament!"

"Yes!"

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