Alien Knights

Randall followed Alfonso back to the expeditionary force's headquarters. Before he reached the gate of the military camp, he saw traces of fighting everywhere around the camp from a distance.

Alfonso rode his horse and stepped over a church flag with a cross pattern that fell in the mud, and said in a deep voice: "The Knights of the Church have chosen the wrong opponent."

Walking a short distance further, the corpses of horses and knights were everywhere. The Crusaders who stayed behind in the expeditionary camp were struggling to clean the battlefield while cursing these mad knights of the church.

Randall lowered his head and saw a young knight who was blown into two pieces by spores. His slightly immature appearance was vaguely visible in the cracked helmet, and the rosary beads on the cross on his chest were scattered on the ground.

Alfonso looked at the "Knight's Cemetery" in front of him and said softly: "Almost eight hundred people. These are the elites of the Church Knights."

Controlling the pace of his feet and carefully avoiding the piles of corpses, Randall spent a lot of effort and finally stepped into the gate of the expeditionary army camp.

Parly, a snake girl wearing chain mail, saw Alfonso returning with his army, swam his lower body and slowly moved over, and said: "My lord, the commander wants to see you."

Alfonso nodded and said to Ackerman behind him: "The command of the Holy Army is now officially handed over to you."

Ackerman blocked Parly's extended hand and said seriously: "I will hold a meeting with the shamans first to count the casualties of the army as soon as possible. I will go to Lord Cumberland later."

Alfonso dismounted, handed the reins to the attendant, nodded and said: "Everything that happened here requires a detailed report to His Majesty as soon as possible. Please don't waste too much time."

Turning his attention to Randall, Alfonso tilted his head: "You come with me. Lord Cumberland has something to say about the mission assigned to you by His Majesty."

"What about my team members...?"

"They stay here."

When Randall followed Alfonso into the commander's camp, the smell of blood in the air made him temporarily distracted.

Cumberland, wearing armor stained with blood, stood in front of the military sand table, staring motionless at the flags and markings above.

"Our army has conquered the Far Ember Hills." Alfonso said softly: "The number of casualties is within expectations."

Cumberland asked: "Has that old guy... been found?"

"Before the war started, I met Lord Bromo Heshmond, and he refused my offer to surrender..."

"I know he won't surrender. I just want to know, after the battle, did you find him?"

Alfonso nodded slightly: "We found his body."

"Bring it here."

"Sir, I want to remind you in advance that our army used Gila monsters to dig tunnels and sneak attack the opponent's camp. Bromo died of poison, and the condition of his death..."

Cumberland roared: "Stop talking nonsense! Bring it here!"

Alfonso gestured to the attendant beside him, and a few minutes later, a stretcher carrying the body was carried into the camp.

Cumberland quickly walked to the stretcher and lifted off the white cloth on the stretcher.

The corpse of an old man with blue skin and bleeding appeared in front of everyone.

Cumberland's body shook a few times, then he slowly sat down cross-legged on the ground, and whispered to Alfonso: "Tell your majesty that the enemy commander is dead and this war is over."

Alfonso performed a knightly salute, glanced at Randall, turned and left the camp.

Cumberland waved his hand to the guards around him and said, "Randall Quincy, everyone except you should leave first."

After a while, only the bodies of Cumberland, Randall and Bromo were left in the huge camp.

Cumberland looked at the corpse in front of him and said calmly: "I owe this man a lot."

Although Randall didn't know why the other party said this, he still chose to remain silent.

"When I was young, I did not have a prominent background, nor did I have wealthy parents." Cumberland sighed: "What I can do is to forget fear in the war and risk my life in exchange for meritorious deeds. and glory.”

"In this way, I gained the appreciation of the commander and the admiration of the soldiers, but I could never gain the recognition of the nobles."

"It just so happened that at that time, I had a violent personality and didn't know how to be diplomatic. As a result, when I was at the Military Academy in Taylor City, I offended a group of sons of bitches from the nobles."

"I was sent to the trial hall for some unfounded crimes. If it weren't for this person..." Cumberland paused for a while and continued: "So, when I guessed that His Majesty was going to use military force against the church, I hoped to use Retirement is a way to avoid facing him..."

Cumberland stopped talking, looked up to the sky, took a long breath, and said in a deep voice: "Randall Quincy."

Hearing Cumberland call his name, Randall straightened up quickly and bowed.

"His Majesty has always thought highly of you, but I don't understand this."

"Your abilities are not outstanding, and your knowledge is not profound. There are many people in the kingdom who are better than you."

Hearing this, Randall couldn't help but said: "I don't understand your Majesty's intention either."

Cumberland glanced at him sideways: "Your Majesty can penetrate people's hearts. When I talked about you, he told me that compared to strength and wisdom, character is the most important quality of a person."

"Character?"

"His Majesty said that you are much like him, always putting the welfare of others before your own."

Cumberland hesitated for a while and continued: "Furthermore, His Majesty also told me that he hopes to see peaceful coexistence between races, and the human race is the most critical and chaotic branch and needs a suitable person. The leader comes to guide this race..."

Randall hurriedly interrupted Cumberland: "Sir, I don't have that ability."

"I know you didn't!"

Cumberland roared angrily: "What I don't understand the most is why does Your Majesty always give up his power?! He is a wise monarch and a perfect god! Why do you want to give up your power? Hope rests on us, a group of imperfect mortals!"

Randall lowered his head: "I can't figure out His Majesty's intention."

Cumberland opened his eyes angrily, stared at Randall and shouted loudly: "I cannot influence His Majesty's will, nor can I understand his foresight. But for those who have threatened or hindered His Majesty, no matter what he has done to me, If he is too favored, or he was once a hero admired by the world, as long as he chooses to be an enemy of Your Majesty, I will be like a mad dog that has lost its mind and send him and everyone related to him to the scale of soul judgment!"

The rage and madness radiating from the old knight made Randall shiver from the depths of his soul.

He wanted to speak some words of explanation, but found that his mouth was no longer in control, and he could only express his attitude by nodding.

Cumberland closed his eyes and shouted in a low voice: "Go to Alfonso and complete the task assigned to you by His Majesty as soon as possible! Now, get out of my tent!"

Randall stood up in a hurry, saluted Cumberland in a panic, turned around and left the camp.