CHAPTER 692: CHAPTER 18: RISING POLITICAL STAR

A month had nearly passed since the battle at White River City.

During this time, Solomon had been busy recruiting new allies. At first, only fallen nobles or minor lords came to Lion Heart Castle, hoping to try their luck.

However, as Solomon sent two giant dragons south to aid the Elves in defeating the Forest Dukes, anyone with clear eyes could see that the Red Lion Empire’s days were numbered.

The lords of Red Plain had just suffered a devastating defeat and were no longer a threat, with New Land being the first to be ravaged by the Wing Clan’s formidable army, nearly annihilating the powerful Drummond family, leaving the remaining lords terrified.

Golden Valley was embroiled in a fierce battle with the Dwarves, while the Panglos family of Elk Valley, just like nine hundred years ago, remained observers.

Back then, they supported the Lankayat family against Alessandro but quickly bowed to the Vespasian family when the situation soured.

One could expect them to add flowers to the brocade, but providing coal in snow was unrealistic.

The Figrola family of the Western Territory had recently lost their family head. Although the new head, Hels, had fortuitously escaped the brutal conflict at White River City, he was now struggling to survive, and taking his army of ten thousand safely home was not easy.

The Northern Territory, due to its unique climatic conditions, had always been peaceful and still possessed Allister of the royal bloodline.

However, even the Monteverde family’s army had almost no chance of defeating the despairingly powerful Wing Clan army.

The prospects in other regions were even grimmer.

Thus, the current situation was clear: the once invincible Red Lion Empire indeed appeared to be at the end of its rope.

If one did not wish to die alongside the Vespasian family, it was time to reassess one’s earlier choices.

Although the empire’s nobility always touted their loyalty, when compared to survival, loyalty seemed less important now.

So when word spread that the Elves had reclaimed their lands lost nine hundred years ago and were crossing Spring Water River to continue their march towards Lion Heart Castle,

many nobles wavered. By the twentieth day, not only minor nobles came to seek refuge with Solomon, but major families also sent their envoys.

The first among the twelve major noble families to lower their heads was the Brecken family.

Their fiefdom was close to Red Plain, and lay directly in the path of the advancing Elven army, forcing them to make a decision quickly, for if they delayed, they were likely to lose their lands.

With the Brecken family leading, many nobles who were still hesitating immediately switched their allegiance to the Wing Tribe.

Especially after Solomon promised that anyone who came to swear fealty within the first seven days could keep their original territories,

many sped on horseback to Lion Heart Castle, and even this town, somewhat deteriorated from the war, regained some of its bustle.

However, Solomon did not rush to meet the defectors this time; he merely had their names and families recorded.

And he announced that a martial contest would be held in seven days, which puzzled many nobles in the city.

Because not long ago, Edward II had already held a tournament, and the final champion, unprecedentedly, was Ireya, the Lady.

It had been less than half a year, and Solomon suddenly announced another tournament, leaving people guessing his intentions. Moreover, there had been no prior promotion of this tournament, making it impossible for anyone but those who had already arrived at the Royal Capital to pledge their allegiance to participate.

Even if a champion were decided in the end, it seemed to hold little value.

Or was it that the Wing Tribe people were just taking this opportunity to showcase their valor in front of everyone once again?

The imperial nobility whispered amongst themselves, but no one could figure out the reason. However, some were quick-witted—instead of guessing blindly here, why not seek someone who might know?

Speaking of who knew Solomon and those Wing Tribe people best in the Royal Capital now, one had to mention the two political rising stars who had rapidly gained prominence there recently.

It was said that they were originally two minstrels of low status who had become nobles due to Solomon’s favor.

Afterward, not only did Solomon give them various tasks, but he also didn’t hide many important matters from them, clearly treating them as confidants to cultivate.

Compared to this, Ivan, the original imperial intelligence chief who was the first to come and pledge allegiance, did not receive such treatment.

Although Solomon did use him, utilizing his familiarity with the imperial nobility, he compiled a list indicating which people could be persuaded or recruited, and which ones were best removed.

However, when Solomon received that list, he used it merely as a reference and did not fully adopt it, showing he also had his reservations about Ivan.

This was not hard to understand, after all, Ivan had served the Vespasian family for many years, under three emperors. It was normal for Solomon not to trust him immediately.

In comparison, Kieren and Silver Hand’s backgrounds were cleaner—both were just minstrels. Even though they had once praised Ireya and the Double Rest Sect, Solomon saw that as normal behavior.

He had also talked to his fellow kinsmen who had arrived at the continent earlier and learned that minstrels were just a group of people who loved excitement, running to wherever the action was, blowing the trumpet for any hero they found.

Therefore, Solomon did not mind that Kieren and Silver Hand had previously been close to Ireya. He even had some appreciation for the Lady, rather than much resentment.

In some sense, the Wing Tribe people were also quite straightforward—they believed in the supremacy of the strong, convinced that the weak were naturally meant to be ruled and enslaved by the strong.

Thus, the more powerful the opponent, the more respect they garnered from the Wing Tribe people.

As Ireya, the Empire’s foremost warrior, had killed three Wing Clan warriors and even slaughtered a dragon, albeit only a juvenile one not yet fully grown, it was enough for Solomon to see her in a new light.

Of course, it was just seeing her in a new light. In Solomon’s view, Green Field was too small and its population too few; both Ireya and that Double Rest Sect were not a significant threat.

Moreover, Shajia had already led people to the western territories. Although Solomon did not like Shajia, he did acknowledge the latter’s strength.

Ireya was unlikely to escape this time.

However, it had been a while since Shajia and others had left, and they should have returned these days, but Solomon had not yet seen any sign of Shajia and his group.

Given Shajia’s typically arrogant nature, it was almost certain that he would have made a grandiose announcement if he had succeeded, and it was unlikely he would remain silent.

Solomon found it a bit strange, but he did not think too much about it and focused on the current matters instead.

When Kieren and Silver Hand stepped out of the Gedeon family’s mansion, they were immediately surrounded by the waiting imperial nobility.