Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 101 Dragon Knight

Baron Reyes took a sudden step forward, his lion-like aura erupting uncontrollably. He grabbed Sir Gareth's arm, his voice hoarse with urgency: "A dragon?! Where did it appear? The exact location! Where are Kruze and Rezal?! Shouldn't they be in the territory?!"

What he cared about most was the safety of his children, who should have been safely staying in Lion Fang Territory at this moment!
Sir Gareth felt the immense force on his arm and quickly replied, "Lord Reyes, please calm down! The news was brought back by Kruze at great risk! He and Rezal were pursuing a small group of rebels when they happened to be near the Hornashire Mountains and witnessed the dragon's descent and its breath destroying the forest! They... they managed to escape and have now safely returned to Lionfang Territory! But their entourage was separated during the escape!"

Hearing that his children were safe, Reyes's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but the immense fear and the ensuing rage made his chest heave violently.

Count Campino finally recovered from his initial shock, and his face turned extremely ugly.

Dragon!

This completely disrupted his plans and understanding.

The wealth and resources he plundered from neighboring countries appear so laughable and fragile in the face of absolute power.

"Tell me in detail! Tell me everything you know!" Count Campno's voice was low and cold, carrying the oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm.

On the border, the celebratory atmosphere of victory was instantly replaced by devastating news from the rear.

The spoils of plunder now seemed meaningless; a much larger, irresistible shadow had loomed over everyone's hearts.

Reyes was eager to return to Liontooth Territory, wishing he could fly back immediately to confirm the safety of his children and face this sudden and devastating disaster.

Count Campino's expression shifted between light and shadow as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons and the possibilities in his mind.

The threat posed by the dragon was far beyond what a count like him could handle on his own.

Those were creatures at the top of the food chain across the entire continent, mobile natural disasters.

To fight against them? Easier said than done!
He clenched his fist so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palm.

The only hope may lie with the Dragon Knight.

But what kind of revered beings are the Dragon Knights?

Within the kingdom, even the worst dragon knight will be granted the title of duke, and their influence can even sway the kingdom's situation.

As a mere earl, he found it extremely difficult to even meet with a grand duke, let alone "ask" a noble dragon knight for help.

The cold reality, like the biting winds of the North, instantly extinguished any unrealistic fantasies in his mind.

He must adopt the most pragmatic, and currently the only feasible, strategy.

A decisive glint flashed in Earl Campnor's eyes. He looked at Reyes, whose face was ashen and filled with worry, and commanded in a deep voice, "Reyes, time is of the essence! You must immediately assemble the army and return to Campnor County as quickly as possible! Stabilize the rear, strengthen all borders, especially the defenses near the Horner Mountains! At the same time, find a way to search for any possible survivors of Baron Hiddink's allied forces and to reunite any other scattered personnel." He did not mention sending Reyes to fight the dragon; that would be tantamount to sending a lion to challenge a mountain—a pointless suicide mission.

He then turned to Viscount Clyde and Sir Gareth: "Clyde, you must come with me immediately, traveling light, to the provincial capital! I must personally meet with Governor Silva!" He took a deep breath, his tone heavy with helplessness, "The Governor is a man of great knowledge and many capable men under his command; perhaps he can find a way to confirm the true situation of the Hornaqi Mountains. If... if the existence of the dragons is confirmed..."

He paused, his voice growing even lower: "Then the only thing we can do is report this to the capital through the governor, using the most urgent channels! Only His Majesty the King and those Grand Dukes have the authority and power to decide how to deal with a disaster of this caliber."

In the consensus on the mainland, those who can subdue dragons and sign contracts with them to become dragon knights are all giants standing at the pinnacle of power and authority.

They automatically received the title of Grand Duke, and there was even an unwritten rule that anyone who was not a dragon knight would face a severe challenge in inheriting the title of Duke.

In the entire kingdom, apart from His Majesty the King, the only known dragon knights are the three renowned grand dukes who hold sway over the four corners of the land.

Placing one's hopes on the distant capital and the Grand Duke is a last resort, but it is also the only, albeit faint, chance of survival at this moment.

Without any hesitation, Reyes nodded emphatically: "I understand! Your Excellency, please rest assured, leave the rear to me!" He was eager to return home at this moment, not only to stabilize the overall situation, but also to immediately confirm the absolute safety of his children. Moreover, Lion Fang Territory was located at the foot of the Hornaqi Mountains, and it was the first place to be affected! He had to return as soon as possible to set up defenses.

“Gareth.” Count Campino looked at the knight who had just brought back bad news. “You are familiar with the situation. Assist Baron Reyes and follow his orders.”

“Yes, Your Excellency! Lord Reyes!” Sir Gareth solemnly accepted the order.

The order was issued swiftly, and the atmosphere in the massive army shifted abruptly, from the relief of a victorious return to the tension of facing imminent annihilation.

Baron Reyes acted swiftly and decisively, loudly directing his troops and organizing the retreat sequence, creating a tense and urgent atmosphere.

The Earl of Campino and Viscount Clyde exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and directly selected a squad of their most elite and agile light cavalry, which broke away from the main army and sped off in the opposite direction from Campino County—towards the location of the provincial governor's office.

Dust rose, and their backs carried a resolute air of bearing immense pressure.

Reyes gazed in the direction the Count had departed, then glanced at the location of the Hornaci Mountains, his eyes filled with worry and determination. He abruptly waved his hand and ordered, "All troops, speed up! Abandon unnecessary baggage and return to Campino at full speed!"

The dragon may not have reappeared yet, but the terrifying shadow and chain reaction it brought have already begun to violently stir up the winds and clouds throughout the region.

Upon returning to Lion's Tooth Territory, Kruze, after the initial tension and vigilance, displayed an unusual calmness.

He did not, as some had predicted, massively mobilize militia, fortify city defenses to the limit, or fall into a state of constant panic.

Instead, his orders were—to resume production, to clear land where needed, to build houses where needed, and to proceed with all affairs of the territory according to the original plan, and even to accelerate the process.

This almost "normal" decision-making reassured some uninformed citizens, but worried Wilstone, Edin, and others who knew the inside story.

(End of this chapter)