The Cornflower Witch Chapter 235

The gentle sound of a flute echoed through the forest, and under the clear blue sky, a troop of mounted soldiers rode through the dappled sunlight of the trees.

Their armor and attire varied, bearing no uniform insignia, and their ages ranged from old to young.

These men carried no banners, advancing in an orderly fashion as if attending a market that was a mandatory, yet not overly important, affair.

“We’re almost at Willow Creek City.”

After cresting a hill, the troop paused, their horses standing on the slope as they gazed at the city nestled in the valley by the river.

“There, Prince Jabez has issued a summons, and we shall proceed under his command to fight for the future Regas,” the leading elderly knight turned and addressed the others.

There was no enthusiastic response from the men; their eyes were calm, with a hint of expectation, but not much.

These men were descendants of the first generation of knights of the Kingdom of Regas. They had once been granted land, minor gentry in the countryside, or ordinary commoners, their ancestors’ glory long faded and fallen into disrepair.

For them, living under the rule of the Kingdom of Anty was indeed somewhat trying, but not to the extent of being unbearable.

Things would have slowly continued as they were.

However, the withdrawal of the Kingdom of Anty’s troops brought many changes to Regas. Their expected peaceful life ended, and they once again received a royal decree.

For these descendants of the first generation of knights, although they did not hold great hope for the royal family, due to their family vows and a longing for the belief and legends left by the former ‘Knight King’ Regard, some decided to trust the Regas royal family one more time. Thus, this gathering and assembly came to be.

They would fight united under the fir banner, just as their ancestors did, establishing their own kingdom in the mountains.

“Are we almost there? I wonder if that little prince is someone we can entrust ourselves to,” a middle-aged warrior in leather armor reined in his warhorse, overlooking the Willow Creek plain below.

The people in this troop held both anticipation and distrust for the prince they had never met, which prevented them from firmly committing to their choice.

“Since we’re here, why not meet him, Brother Hynes?” a younger cavalryman rode closer to him.

“Haha, of course, if I didn’t still hold a sliver of hope, I wouldn’t have come,” the other man chuckled, then urged his reddish-brown warhorse forward, rejoining the troop.

The main forces of the Kingdom of Anty were currently struggling to resist the iron cavalry of the Kingdom of Winter, unable to fend for themselves. The garrisons within Regas were also in a state of panic, beginning to expand their recruitment and enlist local residents as soldiers. However, this did not appease the high-ranking officials of the garrison. As newly ennobled aristocrats, they already sensed trouble and began to seek self-preservation.

“Yesterday, I met with the lord of Willow Creek City.” Prince Jabez, clad in a crimson cape with a fur trim, poured himself a large glass of red wine, a triumphant look on his face.

In the room, a beautiful woman in a black dress stood, nervously clasping her hands across her chest.

“Isn’t it very dangerous for you to meet him?”

“Haha, elder sister, you’re overthinking it,” Jabez leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs.

“He’s extremely worried now,” the prince’s shoe dangled.

“Willow Creek City is in southern Regas, exceptionally far from the Kingdom of Anty’s homeland. If any turmoil breaks out, he won’t have many chances to flee back.”

“The situation is grim now; even if he does run back, if Anty is conquered by Winter, he’ll lose everything.”

“So, he’s ready to pledge allegiance to me,” Prince Jabez picked up his wine glass again and gently swirled it.

“People are just so weak and fickle, elder sister.”

“It was the same with those Regas nobles who surrendered trembling, and it’s the same with these Anty nobles now,” he shook his head slightly.

“Don’t worry, I’ve always been very safe. When I went to meet him yesterday, two ‘Demon Contractors’ from the cult followed behind me. With them there, he couldn’t stir up any trouble.”

“He said he greatly admired the legend of the ‘Knight King’ Regard, believing that this land should naturally be ruled by the descendants of that Knight King. He even offered me quite a few gold coins. I counted them, about 4,000, which is no small sum.”

“With this money, it will be easier for us to recruit soldiers and forge equipment. Willow Creek City is an important grain-producing area in the south, capable of easily supplying a force of nearly ten thousand men.”

“Look forward to it, Princess Masha. In another two years, we’ll be able to return to White Cliff City and reign over Regas.” Hearing this, Princess Masha, with her blonde hair and black dress, shook her head slightly.

“Will it be that smooth?” She still had many concerns, not only about the Kingdom of Anty but also about the Hundred-Eyed Cult.

“How is your practice of the Way of the Knight progressing?” Princess Masha cautiously inquired.

“The Way of the Knight?” Jabez frowned slightly.

“Can’t that sort of thing be practiced by those below me? Am I, the sole bloodline of the royal family, expected to go to the battlefield?”

“As a king, the most important thing is to command various forces and possess a regal aura that makes people submit. Where are there any monarchs who personally go to the front lines now?”

“Even Father King used to depute generals or skilled noble marshals to lead armies in battle.”

“Look at Anty, at Hawk-scorpion, which surrounding country isn’t like this?” Jabez shook his head.

“Elder sister still reads too many family poems and legends. Not everyone can be like Ancestor Regard. Besides, that was during the pioneering era when all strength had to be committed.”

Hearing this, Princess Masha no longer tried to persuade him. She was also worried about her brother going to the front lines and suffering some mishap.

She hoped it would be so, she murmured inwardly.

…

Over several months, undercurrents stirred in Willow Creek City. More and more warriors arrived from all over Regas, some even openly gathering and discussing in the streets.

Facing such a situation, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Anty in the city turned a blind eye. Even if a few were displeased and prepared to punish or apprehend them, they would be held back by their comrades.

“No, no, we both understand what these people are thinking. But now the City Lord has condoned it, so if you try to manage them, you’ll only end up with no one liking you.”

“If it doesn’t work out, just sneak away and return to Anty. Everyone is rather panicked now, and the City Lord won’t even prosecute deserters.”

Under these circumstances, many garrisoned soldiers of the Kingdom of Anty, seeing the unfavorable situation, began to secretly withdraw.

After all, those who received awarded territories were the nobles; it had nothing to do with them, commoners of the Kingdom of Anty. Being able to seize enough wealth during the war of conquest, they were already content, and now it was better to simply flee back to their hometowns and enjoy it.

With this ebb and flow, the Anty garrison in Willow Creek City dwindled, while the army gathered under the former Regas royal family grew larger and bolder.

Such a situation could not be concealed. The state of Willow Creek City was quickly reported back to the Kingdom of Anty by their secret envoys. Even amidst the busy war against Winter, the Kingdom of Anty dispatched an elite force, preparing to march directly to Willow Creek City to eliminate this nascent threat.

If Regas could be preserved, even if the Kingdom of Anty fell, they would still have a place to retreat and recover. If even this place was lost, then the Kingdom of Anty would truly have no way out in the future, caught between two fronts.

As soon as this force was dispatched, the City Lord of Willow Creek City also became aware of it, for he had once been an old aristocratic family within the Kingdom of Anty, and his network of intelligence and contacts still existed.

Faced with this news, the City Lord began to lose sleep and appetite, fearing punishment from the Kingdom of Anty. So, he once again proactively met with Prince Jabez to convey this message.

“Just one troop?” Jabez smiled upon hearing it.

“This troop is just what I need to establish my authority. Once they are defeated, I dare say countless lords will pledge allegiance to me the very next day.”

“How can I not accept such a gift?”

Facing the imminent elite suppression, the warriors gathered in Willow Creek City intensified their training, and the flag on the city walls was finally replaced with the deep blue banner of the Regas royal family.

In a week, they would march north, crush and bury that long-traveled elite force, and restore the dignity of the royal family.

The second war of national establishment was about to ignite.