Chapter 217 Duke Lannister
"Marshal, are you okay?"
Visekid came back to his senses and looked in the direction where he asked the question. The mouse-grey haired princess stood there.
Not seeing each other for a long time, the princess has grown up a lot compared to when she was separated from him: she is taller, and her figure has the curves of a girl; only the palms of her hands have begun to be covered with calluses, and she does not look like a princess.
But compared to the distress shown by the old butler Enns from time to time, Vissekid admired this "unprincess-like hand".
After all, His Majesty Calanthe's hands are also rough. This lioness who was able to conquer the battlefield at the age of fifteen is the queen in Vesekid's heart forever. Vesekid is very happy to see that Princess Cirilla is becoming a The new "Lioness".
Compared with the princess, another member of the royal family - Lann, surprised Visekid even more.
After the city of Cintra was captured, all members of the royal family except Princess Cirilla committed suicide to avoid being captured or humiliated by Nilfgaard.
Lan's existence was an unexpected surprise.
A surprise beyond Visekid's imagination.
Recalling what happened the previous afternoon, Marshal Visekid, who had experienced hundreds of battles in his life, couldn't help but shudder again.
Yesterday, after Lann said "demonstrate my abilities", Visekid took Lann to the military camp where he was stationed.
At that time, the soldiers inside were undergoing confrontation training, and Lann casually grabbed a wooden sword for training and stopped the training in a way that others could not understand at all - because he took two swords at the same time. The vanguard of the team was knocked out.
In the exact words of a baron officer: "He seemed to be dancing solo at a banquet."
The soldiers were shocked, but Visegid was still worried about Lann's combat effectiveness; Lann expressed understanding, because this scene was considered My own sneak attack.
So next he invited the entire marshal's personal guard to fight: head-on confrontation, tacit cooperation, foot and cavalry cooperation, and already formed a formation.
The soldiers were full of confidence.
The result was an extra group of people lying on the ground. Lann, on the other hand, became even more excited due to the adrenaline of the demon hunter, as if he had just finished his warm-up.
Visekid had to admit at this moment that Lan had refreshed his understanding of the word "battle".
Then Lann took Vissekid to an open space by the lake and showed him his seals and equipment: the magic armor that deflects arrows, the Quen shield that is invulnerable to swords, and the Ig that is enough to cover a hundred people. Ni flames, storm-like Alder sweeps.
The confusing Axi and the slowed-down and revealed Arden are difficult to display, and the exclusive skills of Ancient Blood are not shown for the time being, but these are enough to shake Visse Kidd's national policy of "abandoning magic" of Queen Calanthe. .
Rann showed Marshal Visekid the possibility of a new kind of warfare.
Vesekid was filled with emotions at this moment. He had heard a lot of rumors about Rann, about how the lion's path was full of enemy corpses, and how the lion would have fire and storms to drive away the dark sun.
As a man who has been marching and fighting for many years, he has seen these words many times. Originally, he thought it was the ravings of refugees, exaggerations and rhetoric made up to give life a little hope.
Now it looks like it’s actually realistic!
"You can't imagine what tactics I'm thinking about in my mind, Lan. Our soldiers will never lack morale in the future..."
After calming down, the marshal began to think, and then asked a question: "Lan, I It seems that there are many other demon hunters in your team, such as Geralt. Can they also achieve the same level as you?" Lann thought for a while and replied tactfully:
"We belong to different schools. , each of them specializes in different directions."
Marshal was silent for a moment: "What about you?"
Lann smiled more tactfully: "I have learned a lot of things, and I know a little bit of everything."
...
"Marshal, you are okay Is that so?"
Visekid thought about Lann and unconsciously lost his mind again. He actually asked the princess to ask about his status for the second time, which was really inappropriate for him.
"Excuse me, Your Highness."
Ciri covered her mouth and chuckled, her words and deeds were dignified and polite: "No need to be polite, Marshal, I will have to work hard for you later."
After returning to Brochlon, Ciri suddenly became upright. Body, posture corrected, tone of voice softened, and she became "princess". It almost made Lan feel dazzled. If he remembered correctly, Xili failed every lesson in court etiquette before.
In the end, Yennefer answered Lan's doubts: "I used to be the royal advisor of Aedirn, and I also had a lot of etiquette classes interspersed with the magic courses. Ciri studied very seriously." Blochlon
Town A war fortress has been built, and Ciri is currently standing on the highest point of the wall. The place is simply arranged as a platform, with Sintra's Three Lions flag flying behind her.
The blacksmith who once served in the royal family made a ceremonial armor for Ciri, imitating Queen Calanthe's military uniform, although it was a smaller version.
At this moment, Ciri was wearing a chainmail lining, a white robe on the outside, large and thin shoulder armor, a red waistband and a deerskin strap.
After putting on this suit of armor, even the girls who have not yet fully grown up are showing off their heroic spirit, which also makes the old men in the army filled with emotion, as if they were seeing a lioness alive.
Standing beside her were Lann, Mossack, Vesekid, Geralt, Yennefer, and ten guards selected from Lann's escort team.
In front of Ciri were all of Brochlon's current standing armies and the troops brought by Vesekid.
She will accept their allegiance today.
At the same time, there was a steady stream of other people coming towards this direction, and Lann's attendants and escorts were leading people to maintain order.
"Except for the soldiers who are still on the front line to defend against the Nilfgaardians, the rest are all here. They need to swear an oath to their princess and know who they are fighting for." Mossack said softly to Shirley .
The princess nodded and took a step forward to expose her face to everyone below.
When Cintra was still there, the princess lived in seclusion; during the Brokilon period, she was hidden by Lan in Kaer Morhen. Therefore, many people saw Ciri for the first time and knew what their princess looked like for the first time.
...
"This is Xi... Is this our Highness?"
"She looks like a child... but she does look a lot like His Majesty."
"Are we going to fight back against Nilfgaard under her leadership?"
Soldier They have good discipline and can remain silent, but there are discussions from time to time among the people, and they seem to have a lot of doubts about Xili's existence.
Lan frowned and took two steps forward to pass Ciri. Then he turned around, lowered his head, and knelt down on one knee towards the princess.
The discussion below fell silent, and there was no longer any discussion or questioning.
Vesekid also took two steps forward, looked at the soldiers below, and said loudly:
"Warriors of Cintra, we have all gone through a difficult time.
In the past few days, our country has been conquered by Nilfgaard, and our homes have been burned by fire and trampled by iron hooves. Some of us have lost our parents, some of us have lost our wives, some of us have lost our children, and some of us have lost everything. We retreated to Brugg and established our base in a foreign country, just waiting for the moment when the Three Lions flag flew again, just waiting for the day when the lion's roar resounded through Sintra.
We rely on the rage of revenge to keep us moving forward, but we are sometimes confused. I sleep with you and eat with you, and I know what you think and think. We are all calling the name of the one who once led us forward: His Majesty Calanthe. "
Vesekid paused when he said this, his eyes were red: "We lost Your Majesty, and we failed to protect her when she passed away. This is a shame that we can never wash away.
But in the future, we will still have the opportunity to regain our glory on the battlefield, because we have a new follower-" "
Our princess, your majesty's granddaughter, Cirella Fiona Aeron Rhian His Highness Lun. "
Vesekid was impassioned, his voice reaching every corner. Then he turned and knelt down on one knee towards Ciri:
"I hereby swear to Her Majesty the Princess that I will always be loyal to Cintra and Your Highness. I vow to use what I have learned, as well as my wisdom and courage to defend the dignity and honor of the Kingdom, protect the safety of Her Royal Highness, and the territorial integrity and prosperity of the country. I will do my best to fight for the safety and interests of the country and His Majesty. At every moment in the performance of my duties, I will act faithfully in the direction of His Highness's will and decisions, and in the interests and honor of the country. I will abide by this oath until the end of my life. "
Under the stands, all the soldiers knelt down on one knee at this moment and shouted together:
"I will abide by this oath until the last moment of my life! "
The sound of thousands of people kneeling on the ground caused the ground to shake slightly in an instant, and their unanimous shouts echoed through the sky in an instant. The trees and leaves of Brokilon Forest swayed gently together, as if they were affected by human momentum. Disturbed.
...
Geralt's expression was unnatural, but his body was straight. Yennefer hugged his shoulders, and a rare smile appeared on his face that had been like an iceberg for thousands of years. There were microwaves in Mossack's eyes
. Ripples. Although this was not the moment he had been waiting for, he couldn't help but be filled with emotion when he saw Ciri finally appearing in front of his people and accepting their allegiance. Ciri took a deep breath and felt that the scene in front of her was more beautiful than
Kai The monsters Ermohan encountered were countless times more terrifying. But unlike when she faced the monsters, Ciri did not tremble. Instead, she felt that something in her blood had been stimulated. Her
waist She stood taller, breathing heavier, and the expression on her face became colder, majestic, and even solemn.
She slowly passed Lann and Visekid, her eyes scanning the front. The soldiers in the army were also lined up neatly. The phalanx seemed to be waiting for something.
"Look up, my warriors! "
Thousands of eyes turned to Ciri. Ciri looked at them and felt countless emotions in a moment. The princess took a deep breath
, and then slowly exhaled, recalling the breathing she learned in Kaer Morhen It was originally prepared for hunting monsters, but she didn't expect it to be useful now.
Her mind went blank for a moment, so she turned back to look at Lan. At that moment, it was as if a warm flame began to burn in her body. , her cold hands began to warm up. At the same time, a large number of words began to appear in her mind automatically, as if she was blessed. "In the past few days, our country has been attacked, our homeland and
people Suffered unprecedented threats. Like you, I lost almost all of my family; that's why I know that fear will grow in your hearts and the flames of revenge will burn until we drive the Nilfgaardians away. that day. "
"I am deeply aware of the shallowness of my age and my lack of knowledge. I am honored to win the allegiance of all the warriors, and therefore, I order you today: respect and follow our Mossak advisor just as you follow me and respect me..." Shirley turned around and said to the
astonished The old druid came forward.
All the people applauded. Mossak had already won the hearts of the people and became an integral part of the people of Cintra today.
"To respect and follow our Marshal Visekid... ..."
Xili waved his hand and pointed at the old marshal.
All the newly arrived soldiers cheered, feeling that their perseverance in a foreign country was recognized, and they were grateful for this scene of harmony between the monarch and his ministers. "Respect and
follow us..."
Finally, Xili Li took a step back and stood behind Lan with a smile.
"...Our Lannister, the Duke. "
...
After the majestic voice, a mischievous chuckle sounded behind Lan.
All the cheers below seemed to have been pressed on the pause button at this moment.
The lion-eyed young man couldn't help but be stunned. He turned Turning around, he faced the smiling Xili.
"Now? is it necessary?
"It shouldn't have happened now. I originally wanted to wait until the restoration of the country and get it right in one step. " "Xili said softly. At this time, her tone returned to the excitement of the little girl, "But I heard that when you went to Pontal to meet other kings, you encountered a lot of difficulties because of your title... So I I'll give you the highest title first. Anyway, this is just a title, and there is no matching territory to give you now. It will be fine later..." "According to etiquette, there should be ritual vessels, medals, honor guards,
and maids to dress you in robes at this time. What. I don’t have it yet, so please feel aggrieved first..."
After saying this, Xili immediately switched back to her solemn expression and raised her cold voice to a level that everyone could hear.
" Kneel before me, Lord Lannister! Lan
En suppressed his smile and turned sideways to ensure that the expressions of himself and Xili could be seen by the people below.
Xili also quickly stepped forward and pulled out Lan En's lake with a clang. The Sword of Women. The dazzling rune golden light merged with the sunlight for an instant, and also made Lan En's pale golden hair even more dazzling. Yennefer looked at Lan En playfully, a free and proud sorceress
. On this occasion, he was still whispering to Geralt: "He is indeed handsome... extraordinary handsome. "
...
Xili's eyes were also shaken, and she felt that something extremely beautiful appeared in front of her eyes. For a moment, she forgot what to say next. A hand wearing an iron glove grabbed the blade, and it
was Lann. He gently placed the Sword of the Lady of the Lake on his shoulder and swore loudly:
"Under the witness of the lion's flag, I officially swear to perform my duties as a duke. I will protect and maintain the honor and status of my family and be responsible to the reputation of my predecessors, my family, and myself.
I will give everything I have to drive out Nilfgaard and restore my homeland. I will protect the rights and interests of the people and defend my princess to the death.
I will do my best to help the heroes of the past and future who have fought for this country so that we can inherit and enjoy the traditions and glory of this country and our family.
I now swear that I will always be loyal to my country and my countrymen. I will honor the commitment and dedication I have made and be a worthy Duke. "
When Lan was taking the oath, there was no other sound in the entire Blochlon.
Ciri finally came to her senses. She turned to face the people. She wanted to say: Cheer for our Lord Lannister.
Facts have proved She didn’t have to say this.
—
“Why are they cheering you so loudly? I'm obviously the princess! "
Brochilon, in the lord's mansion, Ciri held Lan's arm and shouted reluctantly. Although she was still wearing the dress at this moment, her tone and expression had regained the liveliness of a girl. "
Cintra Forget about the original soldiers, why do the soldiers brought by Visekid respect you so much? "
Lann replied lightly: "I took the time yesterday to beat up the most powerful ones among them... dozens - maybe a hundred -. "
Xili choked.
Then she wrinkled her nose: "Forget it, I can't beat them now... But your 'Lion Order' is called this, right? They really worked hard! Aren't you afraid of shouting out your voice? One by one, they pushed forward desperately, almost breaking up the military formation, and the townspeople of Brochlon also followed them and started making noises! The
little girl was so angry that she slammed the table: "The oath to me is so small, and the cheers for your canonization are so loud, do they still regard me as a princess in their eyes?" "
Lan was writing a document, but the ink and paper on the table shook twice with Xili's movements, and almost all efforts were wasted. He had no choice but to smile and put the angry princess into his arms. Xili was in
Lan After rubbing it in his arms, he felt a little better. When he looked up, he found that Lan just put his left hand on his head perfunctorily, running it along his hair, while the other hand was still writing. File.
She swore that this man was more serious than himself when getting along with Black Wind!
"I will ignore you, I will go find Geralt!"
"What are you looking for him for? " Xili
was obviously very angry, but she still answered all questions: "I like this armor. I want to ask him if he can stay!"
Lann sneered: "You should just treat it as a dress. " Its design is inherently unreasonable. It's fine when placed on the battlefield or right away. But if you go to a forest or other slightly more complicated terrain, you won't be able to move it. "
"I don't care. If it doesn't work, just keep it in your space magic. You can take it out anytime I want to wear it!" "
The little girl rushed out of the study room like a wind and went to find her "accidental father". The sound of House's salute to the princess was immediately heard from outside the house. Then, the
attendant gently closed the door that the princess had opened.
… ...
Lan is currently making preparations to go to Skellig.
The maritime forces of the archipelago are unparalleled in the entire south, north, and even the Kingdom of Zerikan on the other side of the mountain and the Kingdom of Ofir on the other side of the sea.
Praise the world . Unparalleled is not too much.
Although the existence of King Bran and East makes Skellig his natural ally. However, the unique political system of the archipelago also prevents him from receiving all assistance at present. If he wants Skellig If he wants to help himself wholeheartedly, he must also conduct a lobbying similar to Temeria and Redania.
The time will not be short, so before that, he needs to settle Brochiron's affairs:
Kai The three trolls brought back by Ermohan were given to Mossak. The druids had unique methods for dealing with these intelligent monsters - although they were not very intelligent. It is conceivable that the speed of infrastructure construction in the territory could be significantly increased. .
Later, Lan planned to keep most of the Snake Faction and only take away Kolgrim. A person like Leitho, following him as a high-level thug is really overqualified. The leader of the Snake
Faction With a strong sense of politics, Lan planned to let him stay in Brochlon for a while, and the specific duties would be arranged by Mossack. It would be like a job rotation to familiarize him with all aspects of today's Cintra, which would also be a relief to Cintra. The current shortage of senior talents is under pressure.
Leisuo himself has already reacted. Being with Lan will make him "continuously" weaker. Leaving him alone in Cintra also gives him an opportunity to continuously hone his skills as a hunter. The skills of the devil, and the enhancement of the assassination skills engraved in the bones.
In Lan's future plan, Leitho will shock the entire North.
Serrit and Oakes stayed with Leitho, and they continued to work The witcher's old profession is to do commissions and so on. Cintra will definitely be the base camp of the witcher in the future, and the people need to be familiar with the existence of the witcher. Although there is
Lann now, the Lion is too high. Two more A snake roaming among the people can deepen the understanding between the two parties, and the friendly atmosphere laid by Lan in Cintra also makes the two snakes happy. Among the
three attendants, Levin was retained by Lan, and he was arranged to become Vissekid's adjutant. All the troops brought by Vissekid were dispersed and reorganized with Brochlon's troops to get familiar with each other and develop a tacit understanding of combat. When Lan was away, Levin represented the Lion Originally ,
Lann was more interested in keeping House, but when he saw the squire's determined look in his eyes while holding the sword he named "Sward", Lann gave up after thinking about it
. It is a relatively trivial aspect.
In the general direction, during Lan's absence: Visekid continued to train soldiers and confront Nilfgaard; Mossak was responsible for the people and was also responsible for the changes in related management positions in the territory. ; Old Butler Enns manages the finances and is responsible for all arrangements in the territory.
Compared with the perfect systems of Lann's later generations, this management system is too simple. However, in the current form of Sintra, it is barely enough. .
At least it was much better than before. At least Mossak could occasionally be freed to study magic. After that, he would go to Kevir to find Kelda to discuss spending money on a mercenary group.
...
Looking at the documents in front of him, Lan let out a sigh of relief.
Hope you can get what you want in Skellige.
(End of chapter)