Belgar could not find what he wanted from the Empire. As for the infantry, as for the long-range artillery, Lord Beile did not think much of the Empire's military strength. These infantrymen were too fragile, and faced with a head-on charge from the Green Skins, they would likely collapse. As for long-range artillery, could the Empire compare with the Dwarves? Most of the Empire's artillery were defective products made with the assistance of the Dwarves. Perhaps there were some special war machines in the Brunswick Military Factory or the Nuer Armory, but the Empire probably wasn't willing to lend them.

The only thing Belgar found acceptable were the Imperial Knights and the Imperial Guard around the Emperor, yet it was undoubted that the combat prowess of Imperial Knights couldn't match the Knights of Brittania, and the Imperial Guard was even less likely to deploy.

After the tumult of the pestilence, Belgar had no more interest in continuing his inspection. What he thought instead was to quickly return to Breeze Castle to gather his people for a meeting, to discuss how to borrow more Knights from Brittania to reclaim Eight Peaks Mountain.

Yes, and there's this Holy Grail Knight in front of him; he must take him along. Something as troublesome as Deep Pit Hatred, he'd leave that to him. Watching Laine, Belgar thought thus.

"I don't intend to linger any longer either. Tomorrow morning, I will continue back to my territory," Laine also said to the Emperor, "I've been out long enough."

"Then I won't keep you." Carl Franz nodded.

After Laine and his wife, along with Belgar, left, the Emperor sat in the golden tent, contemplating for a long while. Relaxing into the chair, he held Warhammer Gail-Malaz in his hand, this divine artifact that had traversed two thousand years since the Empire's founding, still brimming with incomparable power.

"You saw it with your own eyes?" After a while, the Emperor addressed Marshal Rick behind him.

"He is indeed strong." Marshal Rick Heilberg's stern face flickered in and out in the firelight, with only two long strands of beard fluttering, "His strength is clearly above Ludwig. In the future, he will either become a strong ally of the Empire or a great enemy!"

"He is a Holy Grail Knight." The Emperor repeated.

"Indeed, fortunately, he is a Holy Grail Knight." Heilberg also repeated.

The golden tent was very quiet, with the Emperor, the Standard Bearer, and Marshal Rick all deep in thought.

"His actions are guided by the Lady of the Lake's will," Standard Bearer Ludwig spoke.

"But he is too powerful, and among Holy Grail Knights, his combat strength is already among the top echelon. By the way, Ludwig, how does Laine's strength compare to Duke of Winford, Francois?" Marshal Rick Heilberg pondered over Laine's performance throughout the journey.

"About the same... or maybe slightly weaker. I've seen Francois in action; he once single-handedly broke through an entire Undead Army and charged within, eventually severely wounding the Undead Grand Mage Heinrich Kemler," Ludwig said gruffly, "For now, Laine's strength might not yet surpass Francois, but it's not far off."

"This pair of father-in-law and son-in-law are truly terrifying. No wonder Francois married his daughter to Laine," the Emperor chuckled a few times, his face full of helplessness, "Why, why doesn't our Empire have so many formidable Holy Sanctuary Grand Knights? If Brittania draws out over three hundred Holy Grail Knights, what do we have to counter them?"

"But we have steel, artillery, faith," Marshal Rick Heilberg shook his head, "Your Majesty, please don't say that. Your subjects have never yielded before the darkness."

"I'm thinking if there's a way to bring Laine into our ranks?" The Emperor shifted the topic, "We and Brittania have a common enemy: Chaos, Green Skins, Undead."

"It's difficult, but not without hope." Ludwig said this sentence and then remained silent.

"This task might fall on Emmanuelle."