Chapter 6: The Noble House of the Twin Lions
However, given the current reputation of the Flower Church, even basic food supplies were mostly obtained through burial services for families of certain status.
If not for the impending war, no commoners would be willing to come to the church.
Corleon had never considered taking the upper-class route; their respect for the church stemmed more from ancient traditions rather than genuine faith.
But now, with the commoners' aversion to the church, perhaps only after the return of the militia who received blessings would there be an opportunity.
However, Corleon was uncertain whether these people could return alive, and even if they did, whether they would truly follow the blessing's words and return to the church for baptism.
...
Three nights later, after completing evening prayers, Corleon saw a returning militiaman.
He was found at the church entrance.
Fainted amidst the saffron flowers, clutching a wooden emblem tightly in his hand, his right calf had already rotted away, several arrows protruded from his back, his body bore multiple weapon-inflicted wounds, and his head was covered in blood and mud.
Corleon was somewhat surprised; to have sustained such severe injuries and still manage to reach here before collapsing?
From the church to Lord Lundex's fiefdom, it would take this group of militia nearly a day's journey at their marching speed.
Judging by the appearance of this militiaman, it seemed that Knight Borien's battle for honor had ended in a disastrous defeat.
It was uncertain whether Knight Borien had survived.
With this in mind, Corleon hesitated for a moment, then crouched down and placed a hand on the militiaman's head, bestowing upon him the Commandments · Toward Life.
In the world of light, the second seed of the Commandments · Toward Life that had already been condensed suddenly disappeared, implanted into the militiaman's soul through Corleon's palm as a medium.
"May you have a sufficient desire for life." Retracting his hand, Corleon bowed his head and prayed for the militiaman.
Corleon did not possess medical skills and could only drag the militiaman into the church, forcibly extracting the arrows.
Fortunately, these arrows were crudely made; otherwise, Corleon's brute-force extraction might have caused more severe damage.
After some basic bandaging, the rest depended on the militiaman's desire to live and the power of the Commandment to determine whether he could survive.
Corleon knelt in the center of the church, praying to the Lord.
He did not believe in the Lord; he was praying to the fabricated Lord on behalf of this militiaman.
Until the Morning Star rose, Corleon, already forcing himself to stay awake, heard painful groans behind him.
The militiaman had awakened.
...
York Town was a small town with a population of ten thousand, serving as the main city of the York Territory, with the lord's castle situated at its center.
Under the dome, candlelight flickered, illuminating the twin lion emblem at the top.
Viscount Helvin's hair was white, his face full of wrinkles, and his sunken eye sockets held eyes filled with fury.
"Lundex took the initiative to attack our people, capturing Knight Borien. This is the letter he sent via a messenger, wrapped in a red twin lion emblem cloak."
"He accuses me, Helvin York Elbert, of waging war against him. He demands a public apology and acknowledgment that this invasion was unjust."
"He also issued a warning, stating that only upon payment of three hundred gold coins would he release Knight Borien."
The thin Viscount Helvin suddenly slammed both hands onto the table.
"This is provocation, my knights! He is provoking me!"
"Clearly, it was his son who insulted my Mary, and not only did he refuse to apologize, but he also ambushed them when Knight Borien sought to restore my Mary's honor, accusing me of initiating the war."
"How can there be such a shameless noble? He lacks the honor of a noble; this is an insult to me."
"But Knight Borien has been captured. He swore allegiance to me and vowed to defend my honor with his life."
"Tell me, my knights, what should I do?" His somewhat clouded gaze swept around.
On the oak long table lay a blood-stained red twin lion emblem cloak.
The nine summoned knights sat around the table, their armor clashing due to their angry movements, their faces flushed with rage.
"War! Since he is provoking and wants to start a war, then we shall give him war," someone said loudly.
"The honor of the twin lion noble house cannot be tarnished. I will make him understand with my sword what the fangs of the twin lions are," someone else said, pounding the table forcefully.
"Defending the lord's honor is a knight's duty. If Knight Borien knew that the lord was insulted, even if his hands were bound, he would still bite through Lundex's throat with his teeth."
One person's voice was the loudest, and after he spoke, the entire hall fell silent.
Rather than condemning Lundex, it was more about how to handle Knight Borien.
The war had already begun; it just hadn't been formally declared.
Or rather, Knight Borien's vanguard force was essentially the declaration of war.
However, although Borien was only temporarily knighted due to necessity, none of them had expected Borien to be captured.
This was now a troublesome situation.
Borien was a formally knighted knight, and Lundex had straightforwardly initiated negotiations for his ransom.
Three hundred gold coins to redeem a knight was a reasonable price.
Under normal circumstances, Knight Borien should naturally be ransomed.
This was a rule observed even during wartime.
But it was evident that Lord Helvin did not wish to ransom Knight Borien.
Yet no one dared to voice the idea of ignoring Knight Borien.
After all, they were all knights.
They were willing to sacrifice their lives to defend the honor of the twin lion noble house, but to openly state the abandonment of a knight would lead to ostracization by others.
"Perhaps you are right, Knight Zorn." Hearing the words he wanted to hear, Helvin spoke, looking at that knight.
He was the youngest among the nine knights and a collateral relative of the Elbert family.
At only twenty-seven years old, his eyes revealed a longing.
A longing for war and honor.
"If Knight Borien knew that the lord bowed to the insulter to ransom him, that would be the true disgrace to Knight Borien!" Helvin's words plunged the hall into silence.
"I believe Knight Borien would not want the lord's honor to be trampled because of him; that would also be an insult to his own honor as a knight." Helvin spoke loudly, scanning the knights with varied expressions.
"So, since he has initiated provocation, let us comply and give him the war he desires!"
"My knights, now, I need you to use the swords in your hands and Lundex's blood to defend my honor."
"For the honor of the twin lion noble house!" the knights swore loudly, their armor emitting the sound of metal clashing.
Regardless of what they were thinking, at least after the lord made his decision, as knights, they would loyally carry out the lord's orders.