I understand all that, but why won't he let go?
The knight was clearly doing it on purpose, gripping her hand as if afraid it might slip away at any moment.
Yet no matter how tangled and chaotic her thoughts were deep down, in that moment, Melina's already dizzy little head held only a single thought:
His hand is so warm!
Nolan had ruled here for less than two months, yet his prestige had already reached an astonishing level.
As he walked across the grass-scented land, soldiers and villagers alike greeted him with spontaneous salutes.
Whether every gesture came from the heart was impossible to tell, but constantly worrying about what others truly thought would be exhausting.
Nolan's gaze drifted toward the training grounds in the distance.
Vyke seemed to sense it and looked over.
He glanced at Nolan first, then let his eyes fall on Melina, a trace of admiration unconsciously surfacing in his expression.
One had to admit, this lord was incredibly popular with women.
First there was the village beauty famous across the surrounding countryside, then the valiant female warrior, and now yet another beautiful girl from who knows where.
How enviable.
Unfortunately, he had barely gotten a good look before a flying kick from Nepheli slammed into his chest.
With a dull thud, Vyke was sent flying several meters back.
"Hey! Did you not take a single word Nolan said seriously? You're actually getting distracted in the middle of a fight?"
Ending the spar with a single move, Nepheli spoke as she turned her head.
"Who's this?"
She looked at Nolan, then at the unfamiliar girl beside him, smiling as she asked.
"Melina. She'll be our companion from now on," Nolan said in introduction.
"Melina, hello! I'm Nepheli Loux. Just call me Nepheli."
After greeting her, Nepheli nudged Nolan in the stomach with her elbow and whispered:
"Nice taste. Just what I'd expect from my man."
Nolan felt a headache coming on and rolled his eyes. This woman really had no sense of embarrassment.
"We're not in that kind of relationship."
Nepheli glanced at their clasped hands, clearly unconvinced.
There was no tension or hostility.
Seeing Melina, Nepheli was openly warm and welcoming. Jealousy clearly had nothing to do with a straightforward barbarian Warrior.
Of course, it was also possible she had already braced herself for this.
The barbarian's First Elden Lord, and even the upper ranks of the entire Golden Order Dynasty, were not exactly known for clean reputations when it came to their private lives.
...
Before long, two official documents arrived in succession from Stormveil and Leyndell, stirring the entire territory into an uproar.
"Long live the great Viscount Nolan!" voices rang out from the crowd.
"Long live the noble White Champion, the 'Pure White Knight,' Lord Nolan Bethel!"
Countless people cheered for their lord, leaving only silence on the side of the Rebel Alliance.
Many even claimed they had seen long ago that Nolan was destined by fate, firmly believing he would lead them toward a future of prosperity.
The waves of cheers were, without a doubt, heartfelt.
In everyone's eyes, this meant that the just war Nolan had waged had now been recognized.
The common people could finally see a future ahead, and the Tarnished had a place to settle and survive.
With that, Nolan's position as lord was firmly secured, and the significance of this moment was immense.
If someone else had become the master of this vast land, who knew how many would have been dragged back into suffering.
This, in turn, freed many and saved countless lives.
As a knight, he had saved the people from disaster. As a Tarnished, he had brought them stability in times of crisis.
There was no doubt that someone like him would be regarded as a true hero.
Here, "hero" did not refer to the power rankings Nolan defined, but rather to honor and reputation.
Though such reputation was tied to personal strength to some extent, it was far from a shallow title measured solely by martial ability.
And beyond that, he was both compassionate and brave, spreading the light of hope across the land.
In short, Nolan's name was now known far and wide.
He had been quite well-known before, though only within a small circle. After all, those who truly knew him were Demigods and heroes.
As for the wandering minstrels, the stories and titles they could hear and pass down were limited to things like the Empyrean's Golden Needle Knight, the Lunar Princess's Dark Moon Knight, the dragon-slaying hero praised by the General of Starscourge, and Leyndell's Golden Spirit.
Nothing more.
The various Highnesses had kept a tight lid on things. No information was allowed to leak out easily.
A title like Trina's "Promised Consort" was simply not something outsiders could ever hear.
Only now had his name truly begun to spread across the Lands Between.
"Take it as a way to let everyone know I'm safe."
As the Leyndell delegation entered through the gates, Nolan, seated on the lord's throne, let out a long breath.
Much faster than visiting them one by one.
The Prince and Princess might not be able to leave their domains right now, but from what he knew, they would definitely send people out to gather information.
They were all sharp enough to understand how important that was.
The great hall was packed, almost to the point of crowding. Everywhere one looked, there were soldiers clad in heavy armor, fully armed.
With several barons dead, the allied forces had collapsed. Nolan had immediately moved in with his troops and taken over their lands.
His popularity in Limgrave had reached an all-time high, and recruitment had gone exceptionally smoothly.
Countless displaced refugees and Tarnished with nowhere else to go came in droves, drawn by his name, choosing to pledge themselves to him.
In a short span of time, the forces under his command had multiplied several times over.
While waiting for the Finger Maiden to arrive, more than a hundred Tarnished from nearby regions, having heard the news, made their way here one after another.
As for the nobles' wealth and the local Golden Dynasty Subjects, Nolan had already made arrangements.
He used up most of the runes himself, then selected a thousand people from among villagers, refugees, and prisoners of war, putting Vyke in charge of drilling them intensively.
The two hundred men who had followed him from the start naturally became his most trusted core force.
At present, he commanded a total of twelve hundred troops: two hundred cavalry and one thousand infantry.
Thanks to ample funding, they were all well-equipped and could just about be considered elite.
And that wasn't all. More people were arriving in his territory every day, and the numbers would only continue to grow.
These past days, aside from absorbing runes and recruiting troops, Nolan had been guiding Vyke and Nepheli.
They lived up to their status as a quasi-Lord and a hero. Even without a Finger Maiden, they had already begun to step into the realm of heroes.
Now that he ruled a domain, he could not possibly handle every task himself.
What kind of lord stands watch, keeps guard, and personally hunts down bandits?
A Lord should never stand alone.
"It's been a while, Alicia. I didn't expect to see you here."
Seated at the head, Nolan fixed his gaze on the familiar figure approaching, a complicated mix of emotions rising in his chest, with a trace of relief among them.
The blonde girl walked toward him with light, graceful steps.