Although Lance really wanted to cut down a certain shameless city defense officer, in the end, he abandoned the idea after seeing Nina Borne's innocent gaze (a true case of "fragrance law").
"Your Highness, good afternoon!" Apophis Breo and Marcus greeted Rynar with a smile.
"Uh, I really want to know what kind of expression Lance has right now…" Rynar sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Is there a situation? I came to inspect the defenses. Dylan said that these peaceful days won't last for long." Rynar let out a deep sigh.
"I think the same… sigh…" Marcus echoed his concern.
"The Orcs won't remain quiet for long. In the future, we will inevitably face frequent raids from them. It's a pity we didn't manage to take Dol Guldur! Our defensive depth is still too narrow. Now, we can only pray that Lulong Fortress can hold against those damn beasts!" Rynar nodded, reluctantly agreeing with their assessment. After all, the combined population of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves in Middle-earth was still far less than that of the Orcs, whose reproduction rate far exceeded that of the other races.
"The era of mankind has not yet arrived…" Rynar sighed. The War of the Ring had not yet begun, and humans were still not the protagonists of Middle-earth.
"Let's wait and see. We lack the power to change everything. The best we can do is protect our people from harm." Rynar said helplessly.
"Soon, I will be leading an expedition to the Mines of Moria. Once I leave, the entire defense of Riverguard will be in your hands, City Defense Officer!" Rynar patted Marcus on the shoulder in encouragement.
"Thank you for your trust! I will not fail you!" Marcus thumped his chest in salute.
"And what about me, Your Highness…?" Apophis Breo asked anxiously. He was eager to earn military merit and uphold his family's honor through war.
"Hahaha! How could I leave a man of the House of the Conquering Lion behind? You will march with me! There will be plenty of Orcs there for you to test your blade against!" Rynar laughed.
"By the way, have you married and had children yet?" Rynar suddenly asked, curious. Though Apophis Breo was still young, he came from an ancient noble family. Lineage and inheritance should have been his family's priority, especially since the House of the Conquering Lion was not known for having many heirs.
"Uh… Your Highness, I have not. If you have a suitable lady to introduce, I wouldn't mind, but it seems there aren't many in Riverguard…" Apophis Breo was caught off guard, breaking into a cold sweat. He hadn't expected his king to be so nosy.
"Alright then, in that case, you'll stay behind this time. You're the last heir of the Conquering Lion family.
If something happens to you, I wouldn't be able to face the Grand Dukes of your house even in death."
Rynar thought it over and decided it was best not to take the last scion of the Conquering Lion family into battle.
His kingdom already had too few nobles. In this world, nobles were not mere parasites sucking the lifeblood of the people; they were the keepers of knowledge and wisdom.
Most nobles were skilled professionals, while the common folk—who spent their lives farming and brewing—were hardly capable of governing a nation.
Rynar was not foolish enough to implement some misguided notion of absolute equality in this medieval-like world.
That would not be progress—it would be insanity! Just imagine those uneducated peasants trying to run a country.
"Why? This is unfair! I am a noble! A knight! I need to prove myself on the battlefield!" Apophis Breo protested passionately.
"You have already proven yourself! You have shown your heart! Now, you need to ensure the continuity of our civilization! I do not wish to see my few remaining great lords lying lifeless on battlefields that do not belong to us!" Rynar said coldly. He could go to war because he was the king! Because he had an artifact! Because he would receive full protection from his people! But for a knight like Apophis Breo, who would charge at the frontline, fortune would not always be on his side.
"Rather than taking up the sword on the battlefield, you would be of greater service to me by training new noble leaders! Our land is vast, and it needs a constant influx of fresh blood. You are the most suitable person for this task!" Rynar explained.
"Remember, we do not lack soldiers who can fight. What we lack are nobles who can govern! Look behind you! How many nobles still stand in our great Zaltarion Empire?" Rynar's voice thundered.
Silence fell.
Yes! The nobles of Zaltarion had been nearly wiped out!
Rynar murmured an apology in his heart. Perhaps in the future, his system would summon new nobles to aid him, but for now, his administrative talent pool was running dangerously thin. He couldn't even assign an adjutant to Reynard, who was stationed at Lulong Fortress. As a result, Reynard had to constantly travel back and forth, both training Riverguard's soldiers and overseeing the defenses of Lulong Fortress. At this rate, if Rynar gained even one more city, he wouldn't need the Orcs to attack—just the management workload alone would drive him to collapse.
"You are right… What should I do then?" Apophis Breo fell silent, then asked. After all, generations of Grand Dukes from his family had accumulated enough experience to make him the most knowledgeable noble in Riverguard when it came to governance. Training emerging nobles would be an easy task for him—all he needed was Rynar's guidance.
"As for personnel, select from among the soldiers. Those who perform exceptionally will be granted the title of baronet. Your job is to determine who is worthy of this honor. I only need two people. Teach them the basics of administration and leadership. You should be able to manage that, right?" Rynar stated his requirements.
"Of course, Your Highness. Your will is the direction of my sword! I will begin preparations immediately!" Without hesitation, the decisive Apophis Breo turned and left.
"Wait. Remember to consult Reynard. He will assist in the selection. Also, exempt the members of the Holy Radiance Knight Order. I cannot afford to break up my only knightly order. I will find another way to reward them." Rynar added.
"Understood, my King!" Apophis Breo nodded and quickly descended from the city walls.
"Marcus, do you think I made the right decision?" Rynar suddenly asked, gripping the hilt of his Dragon Slayer Sword.
"Denying him the chance to fight—isn't that too cruel? He is a knight, after all… But I simply cannot afford to lose another high-ranking noble. We do not have enough talent to squander…" Rynar sighed, as if convincing himself.
"Your decisions have always been wise and correct. This time is no exception. You are acting for the revival of the Empire and the prosperity of the House of the Conquering Lion. He will be grateful to you! After all… war will not be in short supply for us in the future." Marcus reassured him, though his eyes, fixed on the south, were filled with unease.
"Indeed! War is never in short supply! Damn this endless war!" Rynar muttered, glancing at a group of patrolling soldiers who had just slain a few wandering Orcs.
"Your Highness! The Dwarves have arrived!" A soldier suddenly ran over to report.
"Where?"
"They are at the northern gate! Their leader calls himself Balin. He says he has an agreement with you and hopes you will honor your promise." The guard relayed.
"See? War has come knocking!" Rynar shrugged helplessly at Marcus.
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