blogombal Chapter 400 400: The Great Army Arrives
Chapter 400 400: The Great Army Arrives
Hearing Lynn's words, the cavalry officer didn't press the matter. He nodded, "Very well. If you have any needs, you can come directly to the camp and find me."
He paused, then asked, "Are you heading to see the Noble now?"
"Yes, I am."
Lynn then gave a few final instructions to his company, stressing that Letho was to lead them in his absence. He particularly cautioned Letho:
The camp should be set up a reasonable distance away from the main army camp. Try to avoid getting too close. However, if anyone seeks trouble, there's no need to hold back, just ensure you don't kill them.
Among all the witchers, Letho was undoubtedly the most gifted leader. Leaving the company in his hands was the safest choice.
Following this, Lynn met Istrad in the city.
Istrad's excitement and joy upon Lynn's arrival were palpable. Though not a witcher, he instinctively sensed that Lynn was immensely more powerful than he had been years ago. Istrad immediately offered to bestow knighthood upon Lynn.
But Lynn shook his head. "Lord Istrad, let us wait until I have earned my merit."
Accepting a title without achievement could invite criticism. This was a war, and there would be no shortage of opportunities to prove his worth. The small number of witchers he brought were individually powerful; if deployed correctly, taking the head of the enemy's general amidst ten thousand men would be no difficult feat. One such achievement would justify his knighthood and silence any future detractors.
Istrad respected Lynn's decision. He then posed another question.
"Lord Lynn, should we find you a new identity?"
Istrad himself had no prejudice against witchers or nonhumans, nor did his followers. The Koviri people had suffered under Redanian oppression themselves. Having experienced hardship, they wouldn't tear down the umbrella of another who found shelter.
But Istrad's concern lay elsewhere. He was aware of the witchers' abysmal reputation and status in the world, and he knew of the bad blood between sorcerers and witchers. He worried that using Lynn's true identity publicly might cause problems for Lynn or the entire witcher community.
In fact, Lynn had already planned this before his arrival. He didn't need to hide. Now that all active witchers on the continent were gathered under his banner, he had no reason to worry about them. As for the sorcerers, Lynn wasn't concerned about their reaction to a witcher becoming a lord.
First, one of the core leaders of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers was his ally—namely, Tissaia de Vries. The sorceress, who was only a step away from legend, could speak on behalf of Aretuza and stand on his side when needed.
Second, the current Brotherhood was not the organization it used to be. The old Brotherhood was strong enough to suppress a rebellion led by a legendary sorcerer like "White" Radovid, who was at the peak of his power and reputation. The current Brotherhood was no longer a united front. Despite their fundamental alignment with the North, they had been quietly infiltrated by the South to the extent of being split in half.
Therefore, even if he participated in Istrad's reclamation war under the true name of "Lynn the Witcher" and was awarded a lordship, it wouldn't be as easy for the Brotherhood to move against him as it had been against Kaer Morhen or Kaer Seren.
Not to mention, the First Northern War was only a few years away. The Brotherhood of Sorcerers would soon have problems of their own.
Shabad City was the first major settlement on the eastern border of the Marquisate of Targo. Any merchant traveling from the east had to pass through Shabad City to enter Targo territory.
Targo's eastern border was shared with the city-states of Creigden and Marliuur. Decades ago, all three had been part of Kovir and Poviss. However, after the "Poviss Split," the eastern region fractured, and cities like Creigden and Marliuur established themselves as independent city-states.
This world was never peaceful; you only felt safe if you were in a safe place. Small nations acutely felt the grim international climate. Survival, not expansion, was their primary concern. Only by banding together could they survive this brutal world.
The Marquisate of Targo had always maintained good relations with Creigden and Marliuur. Having once been part of the same kingdom, their cultures and traditions were closely aligned. If nothing unexpected happened, this relationship was expected to continue indefinitely.
But if nothing unexpected happens, then something unexpected is bound to happen.
Years ago, a great and ambitious king suddenly emerged in Cangorn. His name was Nedamir. He was credited with slaying a dragon that terrorized the people of Holopol (though, miraculously, none of the bards who composed songs about Nedamir's feat had ever witnessed the event they sang about). Regardless, on the strength of this achievement, King Nedamir successfully married the princess of Marliuur, uniting Cangorn and Marliuur. He then swiftly absorbed Creigden and Holopol, reunifying the fragmented city-states and establishing a new nation—the Hengfors League.
Since its founding, the Hengfors League continued the neighborly foreign policy of Marliuur and Creigden.
Until this day…
From the watchtower of Shabad City, a sharp-eyed soldier spotted an army marching across the distant horizon. The force was enormous, a churning mass of dust and movement, likely exceeding ten thousand warriors. They marched under the banner of the Hengfors League, their intentions unknown.
Realizing the extreme urgency, the soldier on the watchtower frantically rang the alarm bell, a sound that had never been heard before.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The piercing clang of the bell echoed through the city, traveling far and wide.
Because of the long period of peace, neither the soldiers nor the citizens of Shabad City could believe the sustained ringing of the alarm. However, the captain on duty reacted quickly. He first ordered the soldiers guarding the gate to retreat inside and seal the doors. Next, he sent a messenger to the inner city to notify the lord.
Soon, the lord, leading a troop of personal guards, arrived on the ramparts.
.......
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to those who support me on this journey. Your contribution make a real difference!
As a patron, you unlock:
Exclusive Access: Get advanced +120 chapters ahead of everyone else.
👉 Join now: P-a-treon/Chaos_God
(Just remove the- hyphen to access normally)
Thank You so much For your Support and for Reading!