Global Game: Developing a Knight Clan-Chapter 52: Intelligence Gathering, Coincidence, or a Plot
"Baron, I know developing the Swamp Territory has not been easy. However, if the situation becomes untenable, please make a decision sooner rather than later."
"Do not gamble with your own life and the lives of your thousand-plus subjects. I have said all I need to say. For now, farewell."
Outside the gates of the Baron’s Castle in the Swamp Territory, Rayleigh finished speaking and led the Duke’s Mansion convoy away without a backward glance, receding into the distance along the town’s main road.
His swift and decisive manner made even York marvel.
’This Knight Commander is certainly level-headed and cautious.’
’Of course, few who reach his level of power are simpletons. Prudence and caution are indispensable on the path of the Extraordinary, and rightly so.’
York stood on the ramparts, gazing into the distance until the convoy completely vanished over the horizon. His expression finally began to relax.
’A Beast Tide? A strange Middle Tier Demon Leopard?’
Paul was very confused.
’Isn’t the Lord’s Demon Beast a Giant Lizard?’
’As an agent of the Deities, does the Lord have more than just that one Demon Beast?’
Paul was filled with questions about his Lord and the God of Radiant Light he now served.
But since York hadn’t said anything, they, as Knight’s Squires, knew better than to ask.
After all, no one liked a subordinate who talked too much, let alone one who pried into their master’s secrets.
Paul only needed to know that the so-called Beast Tide and Middle Tier Demon Leopard mentioned by the Knight Commander were just some of the ways the Deities protected the Swamp Territory. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
They would find out when the time was right; there was no need to be overly curious or impatient.
York didn’t know what his Knight’s Squires were thinking.
Even if he had, he wouldn’t have cared, because he was in an excellent mood.
A Tier Four Sub-dragon Species, relying on nothing more than a Transformation Technique to appear as a Demon Leopard, had actually forced a long-renowned Earth Knight to retreat.
This had truly surpassed York’s expectations.
He had originally thought the plan would be more troublesome, but the power the Rock Steel Giant Dragon displayed was a delightful surprise.
It allowed him to finally breathe a true sigh of relief.
Even now, York still believed the Rock Steel Giant Dragon was merely a Sub-dragon Species that had awakened its Giant Dragon Bloodline.
He never would have imagined that the Rock Steel Giant Dragon could already be considered a genuine, Pure-blooded Giant Dragon.
In the common understanding of this world, regardless of whether one was a Demon Beast or a member of the Human Race, possessing a Giant Dragon Bloodline was not enough. No matter how much their appearance resembled a Giant Dragon, it was simply impossible for them to become a Pure-blooded Giant Dragon in the truest sense.
In the legends, Pure-blooded Giant Dragons were a naturally High Tier Race, and they could only be born from the union of two Giant Dragons.
It was impossible for mixed-blood descendants with a Giant Dragon Bloodline to ever awaken their Bloodline and transform into a true Pure-blooded Giant Dragon.
Otherwise, wouldn’t the world be thrown into chaos?
A Sub-dragon Species Demon Beast was a Sub-dragon Species Demon Beast, and a human Dragon Noble could only ever be a Dragon Noble.
No matter how their Power advanced, it was simply impossible to become a true Giant Dragon.
Therefore, after hearing Knight Commander Lionheart Rayleigh’s account of the battle and learning of the Rock Steel Giant Dragon’s current Power, York was overjoyed but didn’t dwell on it.
He simply took it all as a matter of course.
After all, under Divine Favor, it didn’t seem so unreasonable that the Rock Steel Giant Dragon, a fully awakened Sub-dragon Species, could defeat a Tier Five Human Knight despite only being Tier Four.
Therefore, when he thought about how his Swamp Territory now possessed a Divine Gifted Sacred Banner capable of withstanding a full-powered strike from a High Tier being, as well as the protection of the Rock Steel Giant Dragon, whose combat power was comparable to—if not stronger than—a Tier Five, York felt a profound sense of relief.
The only thing left to worry about were the prying eyes of the Truth Church. However, for the time being, as long as he didn’t make any rash moves and kept the Rock Steel Giant Dragon hidden, York felt he could maintain the secret for a good while.
And so, in high spirits, York immediately ordered his staff to prepare a lavish banquet.
He also invited all the Knight’s Squires to dine with him.
Meanwhile, far from the Swamp Territory, at the head of the Duke’s Mansion convoy, the Chief Maid had ridden her horse up to travel alongside Knight Commander Rayleigh.
With a calm expression, Rayleigh looked at the Chief Maid, Natalie, and spoke.
"What did you find?"
"Something’s not right with the Swamp Territory," Natalie said, her expression grave. "It’s clearly the result of an outside influence."
"During my time in the Swamp Territory, I learned from the local merchant guilds that after the Demon Beast attack, the territory’s trade with several guilds has far exceeded projections. In less than a year, the Swamp Territory’s total revenue has already surpassed ten thousand Gold Coins."
Rayleigh stroked his chin. "A Demon Beast attack... I heard there were nearly a thousand of them. Is there anything wrong with that amount of income? If you add up the Demon Cores and Magic Beast Heart Blood, ten thousand-some Gold Coins doesn’t seem like that much, does it?"
"Besides, this is the Wilderness. I refuse to believe there isn’t a single Low Tier Magic Crystal Ore mine around. The Swamp Territory may not have announced one, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Merchants chase profit, Natalie. If there’s a confidentiality agreement in place, you won’t be able to get much of the truth out of them."
Natalie nodded, acknowledging his point.
But her face grew serious again as she said, "I’ve already considered all that. But, Rayleigh, did you notice? The Power of those Knight’s Squires in the Baron’s Mansion?"
Rayleigh smiled teasingly. "They were all wearing cheap aura-suppressing trinkets, but I could still tell. The three Knight’s Squires we saw in the Baron’s Mansion have all reached Entry Tier."
"So what? Are you saying it couldn’t have been with the help of the Gale Territory, or even Viscount Calum?"
Hearing Rayleigh say this, Natalie looked as if she wanted to say something, but she suddenly stopped herself.
She realized there was no point in discussing it with Rayleigh.
After all, with a Middle Tier Magical Beast on the loose and a Beast Tide seemingly on the verge of erupting, everything ultimately depended on whether the Gale Territory could survive this crisis.
As for the truths she had uncovered on her own—like how Paul and the other Mercenary Knight Squires had all reached Entry Tier in such a short time, and the talk of Divine Favor she’d heard from a few merchants regarding York’s statements from over a year ago—she only needed to report those directly to the Duke.
It was just that, with a Beast Tide seemingly about to erupt and the Duke away in the Royal Capital, it seemed nothing could be done about the Swamp Territory’s issues, at least not in the short term.
So, Natalie suddenly smiled and nodded at Rayleigh.
"You’re right, Knight Commander. It seems I was indeed overthinking things."
"I won’t disturb you any further, Knight Commander."
With that, Natalie quickly returned to the lead carriage.
Watching her go, Rayleigh frowned.
He knew it wasn’t in Natalie’s nature to leave things half-said.
Since she had explicitly stated from the beginning that something was wrong with the Swamp Territory, she must have had concrete proof.
Still, considering the Swamp Territory’s current predicament, Rayleigh could understand her hesitation.
The dispute between the Truth Church and the Royal Family, the Duke’s absence from the Duchy...
’Even if there was a problem with the Swamp Territory, what could be done?’
’York is a titled member of the Nobility. Without a direct order from the Old Duke, the Kingdom, or even one of the Church’s major figures, no one would dare to do anything to him.’
’And that was a fundamental rule of this world.’
’Isn’t the timing of this Demon Beast Tide a bit too convenient?’
The thought suddenly struck Rayleigh.
But then he thought of the actual Power at York’s disposal in the Swamp Territory, and of the Demon Beast that was comparable to, or perhaps even stronger than, a Tier Five.
Rayleigh immediately dismissed the thought with a laugh.
’How could that be possible? Absolutely impossible.’
’I’m just being paranoid.’
And so, in silence, the Duke’s Mansion convoy continued along its planned route toward the Korola Highlands.
