The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 155: The Griffon-Lion Knight Order

Vol 2 Chapter 155 The Griffon-Lion Knight Order

"Lady Tia."

Among the crowd, the scholar who tended to be calm and rational stepped forward to the girl.

"What is it, Mr. Derick?" Sylutia remembered this scholar whom she had saved.

Hearing the girl call his name, Derick paused in slight surprise, then spoke.

"Now that the Hundred-Eyes Sect issue has been resolved, and most of Anty's forces have been routed, this is an extremely rare opportunity. I wonder what plans or visions you have for the future of this land?"

Plans, Sylutia pondered the question.

She had once lived in a modern information society and was naturally more accustomed to modern civilization systems. But those systems require overall knowledge, technology, productive capacity, and ideological understanding that present-day Regas simply does not possess. Rushing in to impose overly advanced institutions would only clash with local conditions and fail in execution.

One step at a time.

"As for the future of Regas, I will discuss and consult with everyone," she said. Seeing that the girl had considered the matter, Derick relaxed."Where is Carkis now, do you know?" If that Anty general escaped back, he might be able to rally more Anty troops and bring fresh trouble to Regas.

"We captured a comatose Carkis and are escorting him here now."

Not long after, the bedraggled Anty general was carried over, bound and gagged, with several sacks of "combustion silver powder" tied to him.

"What are those?"

Sylutia was curious why they had bound those things. She recalled that once combustion silver powder ignited it generated extreme heat; it was an advanced form of Red Snow Powder.

"Ahem, my lady, these are my preparations," Derick explained.

"Because none of us match Carkis in strength, if he wakes and escapes or attacks, we wouldn't be able to stop him. So we bound these things to him."

"As soon as I activate my ability, the powder will ignite and react with the other bundled materials, causing an explosion. That way if Carkis resists and struggles, he will die instantly."

"Very well." Sylutia parted her lips slightly, then nodded.

"But since he's brought back unconscious, he shouldn't be able to resist. Remove these at once, it's too dangerous otherwise."

"Yes."

Over the next two days, Sylutia summoned representatives from many towns in Regas's southern territory, then, with Princess Mursa, held discussions about building Regas's future together.

Many still held respect and nostalgia for Knight King Raygard, the pioneer who developed this forested nation. People agreed to retain the name Regas; that name still had the power to unite hearts.

However, many were disappointed in the final Regas royal family, especially in the series of actions by Prince Jabers, which had sullied the honor of Knight King's descendants. Many hoped Sylutia would become the kingdom's ruler.

"Lady Tia becoming the new queen is the best choice," several people nodded in approval.

"No, although I love you all and this land, I prefer a freer life. I also have other things to do, so I am not suited to be your queen," the charming yet poised girl said, sitting at the head and shaking her head.

Sylutia then proposed that Princess Mursa take her place as the spiritual symbol and leader for Regas's unification, but many people were not convinced.

"Although Princess Mursa is of legitimate royal descent and a descendant of Knight King Raygard, she is too delicate. She likely cannot shoulder everyone's expectations." These were not peaceful times; the conflict between Regas and Anty was far from over. People yearned for a strong monarch to lead them out of hardship.

The meeting debated for a long time. Although Sylutia was reluctant to be queen, after the recent war, many nobles' surrenders, and Prince Jabers's disappointing actions, no one else retained enough prestige and influence to be widely recognized by Regas's people as leader.

Princess Mursa was the best choice aside from Sylutia, yet she still failed to win unanimous support, especially among townsfolk who had endured war. They urgently needed a powerful sovereign to provide spiritual stability.

"I know many of you hope I'll take that position, but I must explain the situation." Sylutia raised a finger and blinked as she clarified.

"The people we've gathered are residents of Regas's southern territory. You have seen me and know me, so you approve. But what about other Regas inhabitants? What do they think?"

"Most Regas residents outside the south, especially those from the former White Cliff City, are likely to favor the royal family," Sylutia said, directing everyone's attention to Princess Mursa.

The golden-haired princess in a black dress sat composed and gentle, displaying flawless bearing and the visage befitting royalty.

With Sylutia's proposals and guidance, the assembly reluctantly accepted Princess Mursa as the next queen, while recommending Sylutia be named Regas's Chief Knight and Chancellor, to manage the kingdom's major affairs on Mursa's behalf.

Princess Mursa had no objections and even warmly agreed.

"This will probably trouble and take up your time for a while, Sylutia," she said. She knew Sylutia was someone impossible to hold in one place, yet felt a tangle of emotions—admiration, worship, gratitude, love—swirling in her chest.

If Sylutia had been a man, she could have married her and produced heirs, perfectly meeting everyone's expectations. She sighed inwardly; Sylutia was female, and a girl whose looks and temperament rivaled her own.

Over the following month, the newly formed southern Regas army, led by Sylutia under Princess Mursa's banner, easily reclaimed other regions, meeting little real resistance.

First, the occupying forces were weak—mostly third-rate levies conscripted by Anty.

Second, Carkis's crushing defeat had demoralized many Anty troops; if the kingdom's elite could be beaten, surrender seemed reasonable.

Third, the fame of the Griffon-Lion: the night the griffon-lions rampaged had shocked all of Regas. Many had witnessed that night, and once they learned the creatures had been summoned by Princess Mursa, many believed Regas's revival was inevitable. Various resistances emerged, and Anty's rule became precarious.

With these conditions combined, Anty garrisons quickly collapsed and retreated, most ultimately fleeing into White Cliff City to make a final stand.

That place had been the old royal capital and contained the largest concentration of Anty forces within Regas, governed by a branch of Anty's royal family.

Since acquiring the "Seven-Color Picturebook," Sylutia could smoothly switch Aspects and progression paths. In these two months she had learned a vast amount of combat techniques and applied that knowledge. Her knightly path under the Castle Aspect had become increasingly adept in her hands, and her combat abilities rose rapidly.

As her renown spread and New Regas's territory expanded, she, as the kingdom's second-highest leader under Princess Mursa, received tremendous augmentation from the Castle Aspect, breaking through to Fourth Tier - Castle in a single campaign.

No wonder so many nobles craved power and land; the School of Royal Authority raising someone's Aspect rank was unbelievably fast and effortless.

Riding atop her horse before White Cliff City, Sylutia couldn't help but marvel.

She had studied the Verdant Nectar gardener path for over four years to reach Third Tier - Verdant Nectar, but mastering the Castle knightly path took only a few months to break into Fourth Tier. The contrast made it hard to stay calm.

Of course, such gains carried risks and downsides: one's rank and status became tightly bound to the kingdom's fortunes. If New Regas declined or fell to invasion, the nobles' and royals' ranks would plummet. Additionally, the Castle Aspect's abilities were less flexible and expandable, offering a narrower usable skill set.

Having finished her reflection, the girl in armor engraved with floral crests raised her hand. One by one, brand-new knights stepped forward, all clad in silver-engraved armor bearing the Griffon-Lion emblem on their chests, and with crested plumes the same pale cyan as the griffon-lions.

This was New Regas's knightly order, named the Griffon-Lion Knight Order. Most of these knights had been promoted less than two weeks ago, ranks conferred by Sylutia herself.

This assault on White Cliff City would be their first battle as knights and the Griffon-Lion Knight Order's debut.

Facing the knightly Veil rising beyond the walls, White Cliff City's gates slowly opened. Prince Feiriel of Anty led a host of knights out at a measured pace.

Blood-red banners fluttered. Fully armed Anty soldiers gripped long halberds and followed. In contrast, the New Regas forces on the plains wore simpler, more rudimentary armor and carried more basic weaponry.

"They number only ten thousand, while we have thirty thousand warriors. Charge with me and crush them!" Prince Feiriel raised his knightly sword, spurred his horse, and shouted. The Anty lines beat their blades in cheers as he passed.

Then this Anty force, three times New Regas's numbers, slowly advanced to press the enemy.

Prince Feiriel and his knights held position within their formation, not rushing a frontal assault, instead relying on their superior numbers to grind the foe down safely and steadily.

The decisive battle that would determine whether New Regas could endure had now begun.