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Chapter 115: Silver Dove Fortress
🕑 Added 2025-01-11 04:37:18 +0000 UTCCharlot Mecklenburg had no idea that the Duchess Josephine was, at this moment, panicking to the point of helplessness.
Indeed, Duke Joseph had led the entirety of the Behemoth Principality's forces to attack the South Seraph region, but the battle was going poorly. The duke was trapped in a small city named Interlaken on the frontlines and had been unable to break through the encirclement.
While the duchess had been anxiously awaiting reinforcements from Baron Feller, her husband's most trusted subordinate, news had come that the baron's entire force had been wiped out.
But this was not the most terrifying development for the duchess. The Fars Empire had long sought to reduce the Behemoth Principality to the status of Behemoth County or a similarly named province directly under the central government’s control.
Now, with no troops left within the principality, enemies pressing from outside, the main army besieged, and their allies annihilated, the "opportunistic" imperial forces were already at their gates.
For a moment, the duchess even considered fleeing back to her natal family.
As a desperate measure, she assigned Charlot's West Wind Knights to garrison Baron Feller's Silver Dove Fortress.
Baron Feller had died on the battlefield, never expecting that even his family estate would ultimately be lost.
Charlot had originally been reluctant to head to the frontlines, lacking a proper intelligence network. The scouting team led by Dubin Alger, newly transitioned into its role, was still amateurish and could only gather sparse information from farmers and the like, with little of strategic value. Thus, having a place to station his forces was already a blessing in itself.
After several more days of marching, the West Wind Knights arrived at Silver Dove Fortress. The barony was thrown into chaos, with much shouting and commotion, until the baroness herself, accompanied by her three children, personally came out to greet Charlot.
When Charlot heard that the baroness would be welcoming him, he briefly indulged in some romantic fantasies. But upon meeting her, he could only complain inwardly: "Why is she so old?"
The baroness was not only aged but also overweight from years of pampered living, to the point where it would be both politically incorrect and personally insulting to comment on her appearance honestly.
When they met, the baroness nodded with a polite smile and extended her right hand in a downward gesture. Charlot pretended not to see it. She wasn’t Menielman Sumei, his beautiful senior, so he had no interest in forming any sort of "pure friendship" with her.
Naturally, this caused an awkward silence.
The baron’s eldest son stepped forward indignantly and rebuked, "Mr. Mecklenburg, don’t you think this is incredibly rude?"
Charlot, knowing he was indeed being impolite, glanced again at the baroness and firmly abandoned the idea of "graciously forcing himself." He replied, "It’s not that I’m rude; it’s just that I didn’t brush my teeth today. It would be most inconvenient."
"If I kissed the back of the baroness’s hand, the ‘fragrant aroma’ might render it unusable."
This response borrowed from a popular joke from Earth, cleverly defusing some of the tension. The baron’s son was left speechless.
The baroness withdrew her plump hand, her expression cold. "Thank you, Mr. Mecklenburg, for coming from the empire and bringing with you the friendship of the imperial royal family."
"Your troops may station themselves in the fortress barracks."
With that, she turned and left, not even mentioning the banquet that had been arranged in advance.
Charlot didn’t mind at all. He had no desire to dine with the baroness. If he were to have dinner with a lady, there were two fine candidates within his own knightly ranks. Dolores Soumet, known as the Laurel Goddess at Gorgias University, and Frederica, though of orcish descent, was as beautiful as any human maiden.
Dining with those two would lift one’s spirits. Dining with the baroness, however, would be sheer torment.
After settling the knights, Charlot took Dubin along to explore Silver Dove Fortress and find something to eat. While the fortress’s barracks offered food, the quality was mediocre. Charlot wasn’t the kind of commander who shared hardships with his men. He preferred slipping out to enjoy the local cuisine.
Silver Dove Fortress was an ancient city of renown on the Old Continent, often called the "Northern Cynes."
Charlot had transmigrated in Cynes, the Fars Empire’s famous seaside resort. Thus, he was particularly intrigued by its northern counterpart.
This city was a well-preserved relic of the Sherlock dynasty, boasting the empire’s richest array of natural rivers, exquisite ancient buildings, and arched bridges. Its gingerbread-style houses and picturesque streets reflected the beauty of Sherlockian architecture. Numerous museums and galleries dotted the city, with the Lantern Tower at the heart of Silver Dove Fortress being the most famous landmark.
Additionally, the city was celebrated for its ales, with dozens of unique flavors, particularly its candy-flavored brews, which were renowned across the Old Continent. Merchants even ventured from the New Continent annually, enduring great distances to trade for Silver Dove ales.
As Charlot left the barracks, a soft voice called out from behind him, "Where are you going?"
Turning around, Charlot saw a pair of deep blue eyes.
Dolores Soumet, elegant as a narcissus, wore a maple-leaf dress that accentuated her refined demeanor.
Charlot replied, "To sample the local delicacies. Silver Dove’s ale is famous across the Old Continent; how could I miss it?"
Dolores smiled faintly and asked, "May I join you?"
Charlot hesitated briefly but then agreed.
Initially, he hadn’t planned to invite Dolores. After all, he had a "half-step girlfriend" with whom he was on the verge of achieving "lover" status. Getting too close to Dolores might jeopardize his future.
But since she had volunteered, Charlot saw no harm in a shared meal.
The trio had only walked a short distance before encountering Frederica, who had removed her mask. The leopard-girl greeted them playfully, "May I join you?"
Dubin didn’t know Frederica but wisely kept silent.
Dolores, however, greeted her warmly, "The more, the merrier."
Charlot was stunned. He quickly sent Dubin ahead to "scout the path," dismissing his loyal subordinate. Then he asked Dolores urgently, "You know Frederica?"
Dolores lowered her voice. "Don’t you know? Frederica is also a student of Gorgias University."
"She disguised herself as a gang member and sought me out on the first day she joined the knights."
Charlot was even more shocked. "She’s a Gorgias student? How have I never met her?"
Dolores shrugged. "She’s my senior. She graduated two years before me, so of course, you never crossed paths."
"At the university, Frederica was known as the Forest Goddess. Her fame rivaled that of Annie Bretagne."
Charlot, stunned, suddenly recalled the Twelve Attendants of the Elven God. Among them, five had beastly forms.
The Forest Goddess was depicted as a leopardess skilled in hunting and nurturing plants.
In other words, adept at assassination and poisoning.
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