Warhammer Divine Throne

The Imperial great swordsmen are dressed rather flamboyantly. They often wear tight uniforms and trousers, paired with beautiful dwarf plate armor. All great swordsmen prefer wearing hats instead of helmets, with huge plumes attached to them. Even on a single person, the colors of the great swordsman’s uniform can be considered rich, with different colors for each trouser leg, representing the identity of great swordsmen from different families and regions.

Someone immediately arranged for the Griffin Knights and great swordsmen to rest elsewhere. Laine had already prepared a place for them, and the Count himself and his future Countess led Anton towards the reception room on the second floor: ”Come, Anton, my brother-in-arms, let’s sit for a while. I have arranged a fine dinner for tonight, and you can enjoy a variety of different delicacies.”

”Oh~ I’m looking forward to that.” Anton Ferdinand looked around with interest at the luxurious decor within Laine Castle: ”Your castle isn’t very big, but it feels quite comfortable.”

As the door to the reception room opened, the comforting warmth invigorated everyone. Before Laine could speak, Marchioness Surya smiled and said: ”Mr. Anton, you are Laine’s sworn brother, and you will be my sworn brother in the future as well. Although there have been occasional frictions in the thousand-year history between Empire and Brittania, we have always supported each other in difficult times. Please feel at home. Here, you are like family to both Laine and me.”

With a few courtesies, the gentle elegance of a standard noblewoman was displayed before Anton, making the visiting Griffin Earl feel like a breath of fresh air: ”Please don’t be so formal, Lady Surya. You may call me brother directly in the future. Griffin will always be your friend. My father and your father, Mr. Francois, forged a deep friendship, and I believe the friendship between our families will surely continue.”

”Thank you, brother Anton; I will.” Surya gave a standard smile, and by the third minute of sitting down and chatting, she successfully made the Griffin Earl feel a sufficient sense of closeness.

Laine observed everything discreetly and continued: ”How has the Godfather been recently? I haven’t heard any news of him.”

”Father is well. The Griffin Knight Order has been resting after eliminating several bandit groups in Rickward Forest.” Anton nodded, relaxing slightly as Surya poured him a fine Winford red wine and Laine served delicious pastries. The Griffin Earl also relaxed, using silver cutlery to pick up a piece of cake, and said somewhat mockingly: ”Incidentally, we also dealt with a group of rogue knights.”

”...” Laine furrowed his brow slightly, rogue knights?

Surya was more sensitive, immediately realizing something, and looked at Laine with concern.

Laine’s expression remained unchanged,

So the lady knight tried to start a conversation with Anton: ”I heard that recently there’s quite a bit of chaos in the Empire’s north?”

”Yes, indeed, as you said, the Chaos invasion has become more frequent. The Alliance Army from Hawk Territory and Oster Territory were recently defeated by the Chaos Army at the Brass Fortress. The Wolf Castle on the front lines was once again razed to the ground by the Chaos Army until Ludwig and I led a large group of knights and Imperial Army to repel the Chaos Army, forcing them back to the Brass Fortress.” Anton looked somewhat tired: ”Hawk Territory and Oster Territory suffered greatly in this battle, especially Hawk Territory, where the military strength has dropped to its lowest point in history.”

Hawk Territory is the Empire’s smallest province: just a small piece of land between the Central Mountain Range and the Talabeck River. Forests and hordes of beastmen tribes rampaging here and there cover most of Hawk, leaving only the settlements in the south and farms extending along the riverbanks unscathed.

Before the Red Flame Grand Expedition, Hawk Territory was once very prosperous. But when most of the Empire’s knights participated in the Red Flame Grand Expedition, in the Central Mountain Range north of Hawk Territory, the greatest Beastman Beast King in history declared his rise.

This was Cruel Gertwo, the greatest Beast King the Beastmen have ever known.

For now, we won’t talk about him. What Laine knows is that this Beast King nearly massacred Oster and Hawk Territories and almost destroyed Hawk’s capital, Hesige. If the knights who completed the Red Flame Grand Expedition hadn’t returned in time to crush and kill Gertwo, the Northern Empire would possibly have been overrun by the Beastmen’s beast tide.

”The threat of Chaos is drawing closer. The Sky Mage predicts it won’t be long before a larger barbarian army attempts to invade the Empire’s north.” Anton spoke in a deep voice: ”We don’t want to suffer too much loss in internal strife, Laine.”

”Brittania recently repelled a Vampire army. We suffered heavy losses in the Knightly War three years ago. The Dukes need to regroup their armies. We must gather strength.” Laine also spoke in a low voice: ”The human nations are currently very weak.”

Outside, the heavy snow continued to blow, while inside the reception room was warm like spring.

Anton stood up, his face showing some unnatural caution. He walked to the glazed window, looking out at the snowy scenery. In the distance, smoke rose from everywhere in the bustling Gene Town, warming the air, and the lush Charon Forest was covered in drifts of white snow, as always. The mountain road leading to Helunhilde had already been blocked by snow, a road that would be covered deep in snow every winter.