Caelid. Ogha revealed his identity.
He took the badge of the Redmane Knight Commander from his chest and strode without pause through the city streets.
On both sides of the streets, people stopped to watch, their eyes filled with admiration for this valiant knight.
Ogha paid no attention to the gazes around him. His destination was the center of the city.
The gates of the barracks were two tall, heavy wooden doors. They looked ancient, their surfaces covered in the marks of time.
When the knights pushed them open, the doors gave a low groan of friction that echoed through the vast hall, like some ancient ritual.
Even for these superhuman warriors, pushing open those two doors seemed to take some effort.
Redmane Castle had always been a pure military fortress.
Every building and every street here carried a thick military air.
Every corner of this place could be called a barracks. Its very existence seemed to be for war.
This was the very center of the city, where the commander of the army had once issued orders with sweeping authority.
But for a time, that general had no choice but to sleep here, unable to continue commanding the army.
And so the knights had moved the command post out of this building, establishing a large camp outside to relay the general's orders in his place.
Even now, that place remained the source of countless commands. No one in this city would refuse those orders, including these proud and noble knights.
Ogha and the Redmane Knights arrived one after another, stepping into the "main camp" of this enormous barracks.
The moment they entered, they heard voices in conversation.
Their lord had not asked them to attend this meeting. The knights exchanged glances, silently guessing at the result.
From the sound of it, the negotiations between the two sides were going quite smoothly. That hearty laughter made the knights feel deeply nostalgic.
There were four people in the hall. On one side was the towering Demigod laughing freely, or rather, their beloved Starscourge General Radahn.
On the other side sat three strong men dressed in human skin, their whole bodies wrapped in thick, bloated hide. These were honored guests who had been welcomed in from outside the city.
When the knights found them, these people had been less than ten miles outside the city, sitting around a Bonfire in the wilderness and openly enjoying wine and meat.
More than ten servants attended them, making them look like a group of elegant nobles out for leisure.
Strictly speaking, they had not been found by the Redmane Legion. It was more that these people had deliberately let the Redmane Legion know of their arrival.
At the time, they had met Ogha with noble courtesy and directly requested an audience with the general.
These people were the followers who served the Queen of the Gloam-Eyes, and they were indeed nobles. Godskin Nobles.
Ogha and the Redmane Knights were preparing to ask the general for instructions, while also considering how to join the meeting.
Just as they hesitated, Radahn suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on them.
Radahn smiled slightly and said calmly, "I know you've come with questions. You can ask them later."
Ogha thought to himself that Radahn was right. Being called in halfway through a meeting was indeed rather confusing.
However, he also realized that perhaps the time had come for them to participate.
"Lord Radahn, the Blood Oath has been made. When war comes again, we shall become the sharp blades in your hand."
The Godskin Noble suddenly bowed with grace. More than grace, it was practically the model of how all nobles ought to behave.
Seeing this, Radahn waved his hand, seeming not to care much for such formalities.
The two sides exchanged pleasantries for a while, and the atmosphere seemed fairly cordial.
Everything went smoothly. The ancient nobles said in unison, "We take our leave," then withdrew.
Ogha froze, then slowly turned to look at Radahn. What was this situation? What sort of attitude was that? Was there even any need to be cautious?
If the other side had not clearly said the word "cooperation," anyone would have suspected that the general had already folded them into the Redmane nobility.
Radahn shook his head slightly, signaling Ogha to remain calm.
The Godskin Nobles were the oldest followers of the Queen of the Gloam-Eyes. Radahn understood that dead god and her followers far better than the Redmanes did.
He knew very well that the madness of these Godskin Nobles far surpassed the imagination of ordinary people. One must never be fooled by their surface respect or their so-called noble bearing.
Ogha cleared his throat, preparing to ask a question, but Radahn spoke faster.
"A battle report came from the border, didn't it?" Radahn said as he slowly sat down.
"Another border outpost was attacked? Have you investigated it clearly? Was it Limgrave's army?"
"Yes. Another outpost was attacked today, and information related to the Firebearer Army was left behind again. But do you truly believe they did it?"
"It sounds like you have another idea."
"I only think that they've just conquered Limgrave. They haven't had time to absorb and digest the fruits of the war at all. Provoking us now would be unwise, and that Lord of Cinder does not seem like such a foolish person."
"Perhaps conquering an ancient land went to his head for a moment?"
"Perhaps. But I heard that when the Firebearer Army conquered Limgrave, they did not harm innocent civilians in the slightest. Yet the villages around the attacked outposts were all burned to the ground, and not a single villager survived."
"You suspect someone is deliberately framing the Firebearer Army?"
"Yes. I suspect someone wants to provoke a war between the Firebearer Army and the Redmanes!" Ogha said. The knights nodded along, clearly agreeing with him.
They admired what that legion had done in these troubled times, but that did not mean they would show mercy because of it. They simply found it deeply irritating to be used as someone else's weapon.
"Good. I'm glad to see you haven't been blinded by anger and can still remain calm." Radahn's great hand struck the table, making it tremble. "Then do you think I would believe the Firebearer Army did this?"
Ogha and the Redmane Knights immediately shook their heads.
"Yes. You know I wouldn't believe it. Those people hiding in the shadows also don't think such a crude scheme could deceive me."
The corner of Radahn's mouth lifted slightly, but that smile was unusually cold, without any of his usual boldness.
"But they don't need me to believe it. They only need to give me an excuse, a reason to go to war."
Ogha and the knights exchanged glances again. They could all sense the anger in Radahn's words.
A war arranged through conspiracy clearly did not please this Demigod.
Ogha hesitated, as if he wanted to say something, but swallowed the words before they left his mouth. Radahn merely waved his hand.
"I didn't summon you here only for this. The battle plan will not stop because of it. Legion commanders, send orders to every army. The war has begun."
The plan to raise troops in rebellion had long since been decided. From the moment Radahn awakened until now, the knights had been making all kinds of preparations for this war.
Attacking Limgrave naturally did not require such a long period of preparation, but they all knew very well that the final target of this war was the Royal Capital, Leyndell.
The warriors had long been eager for battle. The moment Radahn gave the order, they were like blades drawn from their sheaths, their edges fully bared, waiting only for the war horn to sound.
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