Chapter 309 The Fruit of Face
Has word of the operation leaked out?
Listening to the report of the Royal Guard knights in front to Commander Masques, Leon reined in his horse and began to think.

Originally, the best way to solve the problem was undoubtedly to control all the people in the post area as quickly as possible, and then clear out the hidden enemies one by one.

Orlandon was able to mobilize a large army to seal off the city within a few hours. Such efficiency was considered an extremely quick response even in his previous life.

But the enemy in the dark was still able to react so quickly.

Did the enemy have spies who noticed the actions of the Royal City Guards? Or was it just because I dismantled a lance that the enemy became alert?

Putting aside his doubts for the moment, Leon listened to the report of the Royal Guard Knight, but he did not think that all the rioting Kantadar Knights were involved in the conspiracy planned by the Atias people. After all, this was the heartland of Orland, and it was also the time when the elite of the Northern Kingdom gathered during the martial arts competition.

How unwise it is to react in a collective riot now. Since everyone has realized that the conspiracy has been exposed and the Orlando army has sealed off the city, wouldn’t it be courting death to rely on these few knights and followers to confront the army head-on in the heart of the enemy country?

Are so many Kantadar nobles really willing to give up their good lives and risk their lives to be used as guns by the Atiyas for the sake of the foreign empire on the other side of the sea and the continent?

Even if there is collusion, it is obviously wiser to try to distance themselves from it now than to engage in violent resistance in the heart of an enemy country.

Right now, some people are hastily trying to muddy the waters, intensify conflicts, and fish in troubled waters.

Leon rode forward and asked the Royal Guard Knight urgently, “Are there riots in both post areas?”

The royal knight turned around, recognized the sword-wing emblem, and immediately replied, “The situation in the western post district is very intense. The Kantardars have gathered in the garrison and even built a chariot array. There has also been commotion in the southern post district, but the reaction is not as direct as in the western district. Baron Kailan has just arrived with his troops and is negotiating with King Casso’s men.”

Leon’s thoughts raced.

No matter how he thought about it, he felt that no matter which other Kantar people were colluding with the Atiyas, at least, the new king of Kantar, Kaso, was unlikely to help the Atiyas come to Orlando City to cause trouble at the cost of his own life at this critical juncture.

What’s the purpose? The other party finally managed to save the throne from the civil strife. Isn’t this just to hurry up and reincarnate?
The risk and reward are not proportional. No matter what conspiracy the Atias people have planned in Orlandon, once it happens, Casso, as the king of Kantadar, will not be able to escape from the angry Orland people and return alive to the southern Usato territory.

Once the peaceful rules of the tournament are trampled upon, no one will guarantee the safety of the enemy nobles and monarchs who rebel.

Besides, if the other party really wanted to secretly collude with the Atias people to make trouble for Orland, why would they come to the Northern Royal City in person and play with their lives?

Suddenly, remembering that he was a former Cantadar noble in Sobonitz and still had some reputation, Leon’s heart moved, and he immediately proposed to Commander Masques:

“Sir, don’t rush to suppress it. You might as well block all the intersections here to stabilize the situation. I will go to the inn where King Kantadar is. If His Majesty Kaso has no connection with the Atias people, he may be able to help us quell the chaos in the West City Inn.”

Masques thought for a moment and immediately responded, “I will try my best to control the situation, but Lord Pendragon, please hurry up. If the Kantadars try to force their way through, I will have no choice but to let them bleed!”

Under the cover of night, torches lit up each post house in the two post stations of Kantardar.

The commotion spread rapidly, waking up the Kantadar nobles who were sleeping soundly after relaxing at the banquet.

Beyond the noisy chaos, in a corner of the yard, the sound of sawdust crackling could be heard continuously.

A group of black knights, holding sharp axes, kept chopping off the lances in front of them, pulling out the magic crossbow arrows hidden in the lances, and throwing them onto a sturdy carriage towed by two war horses with reins.

No one urged them, but the well-trained men in black still acted quickly.

Several men in black robes walked out of the courtyard and looked at the chaotic neighborhood, anger appearing on their faces in the shadows.

A “knight” holding a torch and wearing the Falcon family crest hurried back to them with an anxious expression.

(Rhodok) “My lord, Orland’s army did not come, they just blocked the intersections of the streets.”

Upon learning of the restrained reaction of the indigenous kingdom army, the leading black-robed man could not help but curse in a cold voice: “Damn Pilieno, he caused me so much trouble even after his death. If it weren’t for his despicable habit, how could that bastard of Vera survive until now?”

The man in black robe was very annoyed when he thought that the native king would leave the palace to watch the game in one day. He received a warning from the Dark Claw spy lurking in the palace, and he realized at the first moment that his action must be stopped immediately.

Since the local kingdom mobilized such a large army to seal off the city, it was obvious that they knew where the opponent they were facing would come from.

However, there are very few people in the Western Continent who know about the empire. After much thought, I am afraid that the descendants of Vilania may have discovered the clues at some unknown link.

When the secret claws of the second prince sent back news half a month ago that he was inexplicably attacked by a mental attack, he felt something was wrong, but the bastard Vera had been following the local nobles all the time, and there was no chance to secretly get rid of him.
The black knight at the side lowered his head in horror when he heard the man in front of him angrily cursing the master Dianwei who had been assassinated.

No matter how the mages quarrel among themselves, they, the lower-ranking people who have no chance of mastering magic power, will never have the right to interrupt.
Leon led the Avalon knights to break away from Masques’ suppression forces, and acted separately. Under the guidance of a Royal Guard knight, they quickly arrived at the south of the city.

The royal guards holding torches had surrounded the smaller southern post area.

Slowing down the galloping hooves beneath him, Leon saw the group of people who were in confrontation.

Hundreds of Kantadar knights and followers were fully armed and deployed in a defensive formation in the conference post area, and the atmosphere was tense.

Baron Kailan, leading the knights of the Stag Family and the Royal Guards, is negotiating with the Kantadar people.

With the help of the dense light of torches around him, Leon saw from afar a figure that still impressed him to this day, riding a horse leisurely in front of the Kantadar formation.

It was the great knight Cantadar wearing a peacock crown, the dragon slayer of Odori County, Count Valencis Arsen, known as the Dragon Slayer by the northerners.

Leon rode forward, and his arrival made the Peacock Knight, who was holding a long-handled sword and spear, calmly stop his verbal battle with Baron Kailan.

“Look who this is? How are you, Griffin of Avalon? I’m relieved to see you’re intact now.” Valensis’ gaze lingered on the other’s arm that he had cut off, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Me too, Lord Arsen. Upon learning that you didn’t become a snack for the undead, I specially opened a bottle of good wine in Avalon to celebrate for you.” Leon pulled the reins of his warhorse and smiled indifferently.

“Ha, your mouth is as sharp as a sword.” Valencis laughed nonchalantly. He raised the long-handled blade in his hand that reflected the moonlight, and smiled without any tension: “I wonder why you all came here tonight? If you are inviting people to a banquet, it would be too grand. Or are the people of Orland willing to completely change the thousand-year tradition of the Knights’ Tournament tonight and add more actual combat sessions, even at the cost of losing their reputation?”

“We have no intention of violating the tradition of chivalry. We are here at the king’s order to lead the army, just to thoroughly investigate and arrest the Atias spies hiding among you and looking for opportunities to cause chaos. As long as you cooperate with the royal city’s investigation, I guarantee on my reputation that I will not implicate any irrelevant people.” Leon said loudly.

“Attias. Those foreigners from the East Continent?” Valensis’ brows twitched, thinking of the group of powerful and arrogant foreign wizards who came across the sea.

After listening, he shook his head and said, “The robed men disappeared one by one in the eastern expedition launched by the late King Aviut. Except for the Falcon family in the Western Port, they still have some connections with that distant foreign country. Other places in Kantadar have long lost contact with them. How could they hide in the inn of His Majesty Casso?” “Really? Then Lord Arsen, the troop deployment in the royal city was a spur-of-the-moment action, and it only took a few hours. We wanted to control the situation under the cover of night, but you and the Western Post District woke up from your sleep as if you had received the news in advance. If you believe you are innocent, you might as well tell me first, who woke you up from your dream in the middle of the night when the army had not arrived yet?” Leon swept his eyes over the Kantadar knights who were on high alert behind Count Arsen.

Valencis frowned. He had just been woken up by the noise of the Western knights who were shouting and warning everyone in the inn. He did find this matter strange.

If it is true as those shouts say, that the people of Orland want to use the tournament to get rid of Lord Kantadar, then why don’t they do it within the first two days of the tournament, instead of waiting until the tournament has been going on for half a month?

Leon had already made up his mind, so he didn’t waste any more words with Arsen. He simply dismounted, took off his helmet, and walked towards the Kantadars without hesitation.

Olivia, Corvis, Lohark and other Avalon knights jumped off their saddles one by one and followed.

The sword-winged banner that once flew under the dark clouds of undead now glowed dimly in the light of the surrounding torches.

Leon glanced at the knights who were on the verge of a fight, searching for the emblems that he remembered clearly.

“Everyone from Sobornitz! Orland will still uphold the thousand-year-old tradition and ensure your safety during the tournament. Don’t let others take advantage of you. Put away your weapons. The Royal City Guards are only searching for suspicious individuals and weapons hiding in the post area.”

After hearing Leon’s assurance, the noble knights of Usato who came with King Casso had not yet reacted. The Lords of Sobonitz on the right saw the familiar figures of the Marshal of the Crusade, the Golden Lion Knight, and the Red Knight. Without too much hesitation, they sheathed their swords and raised their long-handled weapons to support the ground.

“We believe in your assurance, and please believe that we have not come into contact with the robed men of Atias. Feel free to search my base.” said a vassal lord of the Baldim family.

After a brief recollection, Leon recognized that the other party was not only the lord of the Holy War Alliance, but also a “Holy War Knight” who had experienced the Battle of Rolandar.

The meaning and experience represented by this title alone were enough to make Leon trust him. And Leon looked around and found that there were four or five more holy war knights like him among the eastern nobles who came this time.

He remembered the names of all the holy war knights, so he asked directly: “Baron Kuli, Baron Bosenconli, are you familiar with the nobles in Velozar? I need you to come with me and help me identify them later.”

“I am happy to serve you, Marshal.” Baron Cooley nodded. “Although I am not familiar with them, I at least know the emblems of most families.”

Soon, led by the lords of the eastern part of Kantadar, the nobles of the Usato Kingdom gradually calmed down and put away their weapons one by one.

Having avoided unnecessary bloody conflict, Leon relaxed a little. It seemed that his face and reputation were still very useful.

After stabilizing the situation here, Leon glanced at the Peacock Knight who was no longer blocking the Royal Guards from entering the inn. Then, he looked into the distance at the figure in gorgeous clothes who had been on the balcony of the inn, paying attention to this place.

Although this is the first time I see him in person, judging from his clothes, he should be King Casso of Usato.

“Count Arsen, to avoid escalation of the conflict, you and His Majesty Casso must follow us to the post area in the west of the city to quell the unrest.” Leon said to the Peacock Knight.

In the western district of the royal city, the indignant nobles of Velozar hurriedly mounted their armored war horses and swarmed into the streets, led by knights wearing robes bearing the Falcon family crest.

The rumbling of the iron hooves of thousands of horses and many carriages woke up the nearby residents inside and outside the city.

In the houses and buildings, the awakened citizens looked out the windows at the army and the riots on the streets. Some people even remembered with horror the civil war eighteen years ago when the current King Redwin overthrew the former King Velen.

In the dim light of day, the Kantadar knights who tried to follow other knights to break out and escape from the Royal City of Orlandon were soon blocked by the Royal Guards who were lined up in front of them with shields.

The team instinctively slowed down, and the knights at the rear hesitated, trying to find another way out in the dim light before dawn.

“Let’s charge out together!” Amid the voices of people and the neighing of horses, unknown knights shouted one after another.

However, the Orlando army that was blocking the street ahead suddenly made way.

The attendants of the Usato royal court were in front, holding high a banner embroidered with the royal emblem of Kantardar.

The great knight wearing a peacock crown was at his side, and Casso, dressed in a royal robe and wearing the Kantadar crown made in imitation of the lost original, rode his horse to the front of the battle.

Seeing the former royal flag, many knights under Velozar instinctively pulled the reins and slowly stopped their horses.

Only the other half of the knights, who almost ignored the royal flag, stopped galloping when they were about to be separated from the team.

Casso was very satisfied with the reaction of the nobles in Velozar. Although the former prestige of the royal flag seemed to have only a half-and-half impact, it did prove that he still had sufficient legitimacy in the eyes of the nobles in western Kantadar.

The reason why he appeared here was, of course, because he accepted Leon’s request.

Casso was very happy, and one could even say that he was a little secretly delighted.

He realized that this sudden incident might be a rare opportunity for him to re-establish his authority among the nobles in western Kantadar.

Casso sat upright on his saddle and shouted to the knights from the west:

“Wake up! You are being used! Warriors from the western part of the kingdom, I will protect your safety in the name of King Kantadar. Put away your weapons immediately. I order you to return to the inn!”

Hearing this assurance and order, confused eyes turned to the new King, Casso. Many confused Velozar nobles were entangled in the question of this King who was now only the nominal monarch of Kantadar.

Of course, what made them rein in their war horses was not just their concerns and inertia about their former royal power.

The dragon-slaying hero Kantadar, who was standing next to Casso and holding a large sword and halberd, had enough reputation to make many people gradually think clearly about the reason why the other party was standing on the side of the Orland army at this moment.

Many people gradually came to their senses from the strange feeling of being led by the nose.

“Don’t be fooled! The people of Orland have kidnapped King Casso and want us to surrender!” A shout sounded like noise.

Hearing the voice, Valencis’ eyes fixed and he looked in the direction where the exciting shouts came from.

When the Peacock Knight saw the knight wrapped in the robe of the Manan family of Salmaya County, he raised his eyebrows.

He had some friendship with Count Manan himself, and knew several of his sons, but now, the man who was guarded by a group of knights who were also wearing robes with the Manan family emblem was obviously not any member of the Manan family he knew.

(End of this chapter)