This time, the problem came from within.
Even the knights themselves no longer believed in the ideals and systems that Bretonnia—built under Lileath's guidance or deception—had always implemented.
The various aspects of the old days sparked disputes; some were overthrown and crushed, while others changed their faces and continued to exist in different ways.
The remnant knights who survived the decisive battle at Middenheim and returned to Bretonnia, along with the knightly nobles who stayed in the homeland, no longer believed in Lileath's lies and felt deeply grieved and powerless over their devastated country after winning the war. Together, they formed the Round Table Council.
And in an unprecedented move, they also brought in the serfs and commoners who had performed heroically during the war to defend their homeland.
For the first time in thousands of years, peasants truly sat together as equals with their "masters." They were panicked, tense, and at a loss for what to do. Facing the brilliance of Living Saints on earth, they felt themselves to be so honored yet so lowly.
But the purpose of the Round Table Council was precisely to rebuild a real, perhaps not-so-beautiful order upon this nation poisoned by lies and destruction.
The representatives of the knights were almost all the most devout and heroic knights of the past, led by twelve Grail Knights. For some unknown reason, the power of the sacred water and the Goddess's blessing still flowed within them, even after they learned the truth and decided to no longer follow the false Goddess.
Many Grail Knights, in order to escape all of this, even deliberately sought out the strongest and most numerous enemies, dying in glorious battle, much like Dwarf Slayers.
The Twelve Grails believed that the system of knights and serfs was the most damaging institution to this country, smothering countless people from birth in the fields, living out their lives merely as serf cannon fodder.
The so-called virtues and nobility were nothing more than lies spun by the Goddess to maintain this nation and continuously supply warriors for her New World plan.
Thus, the Grail Knights announced the abolition of all old systems, the abolition of the distinction between noble and lowly, the abolition of lords and serfs. They demanded that the bewildered commoners, along with those officials and squires without noble status, rebuild one or more new nations.
Or perhaps merge Bretonnia into the Empire; it didn't matter anymore.
They were already exhausted, both physically and mentally.
The Twelve Grails exercised the authority of knights on the land of this Kingdom of Chivalry for the last time. Subsequently, they, along with those knights who had also lost their purpose and were willing to follow them, retreated into the dense forests and mountains to rebuild or restore abandoned monasteries and outposts.
By exiling themselves and isolating themselves from the world, they sought peace and also sought to atone for the thousands of years of sustainable enslavement and exploitation of one group of people by another, all due to a lie.
The knights and nobles who were unwilling to leave the civilized towns were strictly ordered by the Grails to swear an oath to every soul that had ever lived on this land, be they noble or serf:
Renounce their noble status, renounce all rights over their past territories and subjects, and live here as ordinary freemen, just like the millions of others on this land.
Those who had achieved military merit were allowed to retain their family's wealth, but ownership of the land was to be stripped away and returned to everyone.
Afterward, the Grails took their followers and vanished into the mountains and dense forests without a trace.
Only hunters and travelers who occasionally ventured deep into the forests might perhaps catch a glimpse of the knights slaying behemoths or undergoing ascetic training somewhere.
However, although the Grails were very great, their extremely irresponsible behavior of smashing the shackles, casually smashing the cooking pot along with them, and then giving up and leaving, brought new problems to this precarious nation called Bretonnia...
The knights finished clearing the battlefield and resting, and sent a new delegation of envoys to Al's camp.
This time, the boy planned to meet them personally.
These knights gave him a very unusual feeling. At the very least, their current performance barely lived up to the title of the strongest cavalry force among mortals in the Old World; it's just that their numbers were too few.
But precisely because their numbers were small, Al thought, perhaps there's a chance I could use them?
If he could corrupt them—scratch that, convert them—to the Four Mothers, just like the Grand Sister...
The knights were dressed very simply, their armor universally black and gray.
Outwardly, there were almost no patterns or heraldic decorations, very different from the Bretonnian knights in Al's impression, who wore reds and greens and dyed their armor with family crests and various patterns to display their glory.
The knights dismounted outside the Beastman encampment and walked in on foot. Confident in the protection of his adoptive mother Alina, the Blessed Gorebull, and the Grand Sister by his side, and surrounded by his bodyguards, Al felt that even if the Twelve Grails came in person, they might not be able to take his life amidst the guarding of a ten-thousand-strong army. Therefore, he didn't order the knights to be disarmed.
The knights were dressed exactly the same, as if they were clone troopers stepping out of a mold.
Only the leader had two rather conspicuous red stripes painted on his black chest armor. It was very crude, seemingly just for the convenience of identifying the commander.
The knights acted decisively and vigorously. They declined the food offered by Al's side and took out their own dry rations and waterskins to eat.
The leading red-striped knight stepped forward in armor, stopped ten paces away from Al, and took off his helmet.
"We need help, ally of the Estalians."
Beneath the helmet was a very serious middle-aged man, looking somewhat rigid and old-fashioned.
His weather-beaten face exuded an aura of unyielding fortitude.
Al raised his hand toward him and said: "Speak freely. Before a common enemy, we are allies."
The knight nodded slightly. "We have a group of fleeing refugees, including women, children, the elderly, and the weak. There are about several thousand people, and they need relief."
"Naturally. The primary purpose of this trip was to gather the people. They will be properly settled in Veling and will subsequently retreat toward the north."
A lie. Al planned to stall for time as much as possible. Then, using the excuse that Greenskins and pirates had blocked the paths, he would take the Veling people and relocate them into the Piña Forest, dispersing them among the various tribes to settle. By bringing them within the sphere of influence of the Four Gods' blessings, he would then attempt to annex and integrate the Estalians.
The knight leader nodded, then retreated back into the ranks.
And that's it? No more words?
Al was momentarily stunned.
He originally thought this would be a meeting that could preliminarily determine the direction of cooperation between the two sides, or at least establish a foundation of goodwill.
But the knights seemed to have zero desire to chat, or rather, they didn't want to say another word at all?
So he had to keep trying to find a topic; otherwise, having a group of guests over, exchanging two sentences, and then sitting down to eat their own dry rations in silence—this situation was just too awkward.
"What about you guys?"
"We are going somewhere else."
The knight leader said:
"The Estalians are not bound by our vows; we have no obligation to provide further protection."
From the knowledge granted by the All-Knowing Mom, Al knew that the vow the knight mentioned was a "rule" implemented after the establishment of the Carcassonne Round Table Council.
There were no nobles there, nor were there lords. The only people who could be called "rulers" were a very small number of administrators interfacing with the outside world and the Round Table Council, and the latter was extremely unwilling to manage affairs.
The peasants lived a self-sufficient life: no restrictions, but also no help.
They spontaneously—truly spontaneously—supported any knight who needed support. In Carcassonne, this identity from the old era was reshaped, because anyone could choose to step onto the path of "Chivalry" and become a knight.
And when anyone did so, they first had to swear an oath: they must not refuse any request within reason made to them by the people of Carcassonne!
This reasonable scope was confirmed by public justice and the Round Table Council. Commoners could offer supplies and beg a passing Knight Errant to drive away a pack of corrupted beasts in the forest for them. Most of the time, the knight asked for help, even knowing they were no match, would gladly go, and then die a glorious death in battle.
Sometimes they would refuse trivial, insignificant matters that seemed like lifting a finger.
This rule was set by the Grail Knights who emerged from the mountains, acting as an absolute balanced correction to the "serf provides—lord offers protection" relationship of the old Kingdom of Bretonnia.
The people supported them spontaneously, and the knights guarded them spontaneously.
Everything was fair, without any coercion by force or rules.
Thus, Carcassonne became a secluded nation sheltered by the powerful martial might of the Round Table Council and the mists—a perfect pastoral utopia in the fantasies of many Imperial scholars.
There were even Elves who, having had enough of the endlessly argumentative atmosphere in Ulthuan and tired of urban prosperity, crossed the sea and entered the lands of Carcassonne to live in seclusion. Anyway, no one would bother them. The commoners would just be curious about these pointy ears, and the knights didn't care as long as the Elves didn't harm others.
"Warriors of Bretonnia, the Estalians will be grateful for the help of all friends during this disaster. I sincerely invite you to go to Veling, where you will receive excellent hospitality."
An Estalian officer whom Al found somewhat agreeable stepped forward on his own initiative. Seeming to see that Al hoped to win over this group of knights, he proactively extended the invitation.
The red-striped knight shook his head, finished his dry rations in a few bites, then put his helmet back on and bid farewell to Al.
"Apologies, we have other matters."
Al hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Ultimately, he just waved his hand, bidding farewell to this group of mysterious knights from Bretonnia.
Subsequently, the Estalian ranks dispersed and merged into the tribe's side. The Bretonnian knights took the Expeditionary Force and the Centigors to receive the refugees, then assembled and departed toward the south.
Some impassioned, hot-blooded youths who had participated in the previous battle beat their chests, hoping to get a horse and willing to follow the knights south.
They believed these Bretonnian knights must be here to aid the Estalians. Having tasted victory in the previous battle, they hoped to immediately turn around and join the fight to reclaim and defend their homeland.
But the Bretonnian knights refused them all, and then silently departed.
Al rode on the centaur girl's back, gazing into the distance at the retreating backs of this silent knightly expeditionary force dressed in gray, white, and black, feeling somewhat frustrated.
They weren't even willing to communicate much with the outside world. How could Al use smooth talk to trick them into joining his camp?
He also felt a bit of emotional sighing. Who could have foreseen that those once noble, arrogant knights of virtue.
Those knights who, on one hand, demanded the subjects they swore to protect to step forward and die facing overwhelming dangers and enemies of humanity, while on the other hand, stepped over their corpses to achieve glorious victories.
Would turn into their current cold, steel-like appearance a hundred and fifty years after the End Times.
Atonement?
Al didn't believe that was the sole reason.