Meanwhile, Duke Boldro treated his subjects with great harshness. To the north of Boldro Duchy lay the Duchy of Connaught, which was under the control of Vampires, and to the south, Borelion Duchy, which was in constant conflict with Estalia. Thus, the duke himself exercised strict control over law and order and all activities within the territory. As a result, he was more feared than loved by his subjects.

As everyone anticipated, the appearance and lodging of the Holy Grail Knight brought immense glory to the innkeeper. The soldiers held aloft Laine's family crest, a red and white shield emblazoned with a pristine book and a sharp sword, encircled by two ribbons, with a shining gold Holy Grail in the center. The innkeeper and his staff bowed deeply to Laine, and all the guests rose to express their respect.

Reverence, honor, and fervor—this encapsulated the status of the Holy Grail Knight in this nation. Even in the kingdom's most remote and distant villages, people spoke of the legends these paragons of virtue left behind, singing of the luminous feats they accomplished in the name of the Goddess. It was said that many Holy Grail Pilgrims fondly followed the Holy Grail Knights on their solitary missions, collecting nearly everything the knights discarded along the way, whether it be broken armor pieces, clothing, or even leftover food scraps. Regardless of storm or obstacle, these devout scavengers followed their idols with fierce passion, ecstatic with every action the knights took, loudly praising the knights' every utterance.

Some Holy Grail Knights did not refuse the presence of the pilgrims, as they could serve as escorts and servants, aiding in battles as well. However, Laine was different; he sternly rejected the pilgrims' accompaniment and informed them he did not require their following.

Then, the Holy Grail Pilgrims left joyfully. They were delighted to have been sternly refused, feeling pleased that their actions had truly caught the attention of the Holy Grail Knight. Some even etched Laine's words onto their skin with a dagger as a memento.

Laine was somewhat speechless, but indeed, piety and ignorance are potent weapons against Chaos Corruption, and he truly had little to say about the situation. People's faith and religious fervor could coalesce within Subspace to empower the Lake Fairy.

The lady knight approached Laine, standing gracefully beside him, resembling a married couple. Her sea-blue eyes shimmered, and she spoke in a calm tone about her expectations: "Please ensure the room is thoroughly cleaned, and also, I wish there to be no 'gaps' in the room."

"Please arrange for Lord Laine's room to be next to mine, and ensure the whole floor is occupied by our people," Surya said calmly, yet her tone conveyed an undeniable authority.

"At your command, my lady! Our establishment will serve you with utmost dedication!" the innkeeper responded quickly, wearing an ingratiating smile, and signaled the staff to promptly prepare the rooms.

The party reserved three floors; Laine got a room to himself, while the three girls opted to share a large room. The remaining three rooms were assigned to the escorts. Demon Hunter Abel chose to take a small room on the second floor, content with just a place to rest.

Thus, the night passed without incident.

The next day, the group finally arrived at the capital of Boldro Duchy—Bodlukes.

Bodlukes was a large city with a population of twenty thousand, and an excellent port city. Viewed from afar, its massive port was under the guard of Sea Knights and a considerable portion of the Brittania navy. A gigantic circular castle stood atop a rocky hill several kilometers from the shore, with blue-tipped roofs and the massive flag of the Sea God Trident fluttering atop.

Unlike many cities, Bodlukes' harbor was not within the city itself. Instead, this enormous port was situated outside the city. On the road connecting the port and the city, Duke Boldro had erected numerous watchtowers and strongpoints.

Today's weather was still quite cold, but Surya insisted on riding side by side with Laine. Upon seeing Bodlukes, the lady knight's sharp gaze fixed on the distant castle: "Laine, do you know why Duke Bodric of Boldro set the port up outside the city?"

"I do not know, but I am willing to listen."

"Boldro Duchy is frequently harassed by Dark Elf Pirates, and separating the port from the city benefits the defense," Surya's gaze was severe as she observed the Sea Knights patrolling the port: "Moreover, invaders from Estalia occasionally come from Borelion Duchy to harass Boldro's borders, while the Blood Red Duke from the north is interested in Duke Bodric's vast wealth. Since assuming the role of Duke of Boldro, Lord Bodric has not enjoyed more than four years of peace."

"For this reason, Lord Bodric's character is very strong yet quite cold. He often only trusts in his strength and those who assist him. He particularly enjoys appearing at the frontline to boost the morale of his soldiers. Although he is not a Holy Grail Knight, whenever he appears before the army, he can uplift the soldiers' spirits, assuring them that he stands alongside them," the lady knight's gaze was sharp as she spoke softly: "I always believed that a true knight must act this way, managing civilians off the horse and leading the military on it, forever fighting to protect their domain and people."

"A knight's purpose is to protect: to protect our lands, our nation, and the Lady's Holy Land," a growing resilience radiated from the lady knight, and her expression was resolute: "I am the same."

"Therefore, I believe Duke Bodric is a figure worthy of respect," the lady knight's words were decisive, showing a contrast to her usual gentle demeanor.

Laine knew that no matter how approachable the lady knight was, at her core, she remained the daughter of a duke and was groomed as a knight from a young age in the aristocracy.

"In truth, Miss Surya, you are also a figure worthy of respect to me," Laine began to feel that a gentle yet strong, beautiful yet noble image was slowly entering his heart, and he softly said to her: "If you don't mind, I'd like to be your friend."

"Laine..." The lady knight's initially strong expression momentarily broke, her tone slightly wavering.

The duke's daughter quickly composed herself and gently replied: "From now on, just call me Surya."

"Alright..."

In the distance, a group of elite soldiers and several knights awaited their arrival, led by someone familiar to Laine—the prominent merchant of Boldro, Ismail, who was still assisting him in building his castle.

"Hello! Lord Laine, I warmly welcome you on behalf of Boldro Duchy and Lord Bodric," Merchant Ismail opened his arms, placing one hand on his chest and bowing, greeting Laine and his entourage with the utmost enthusiasm.

Ismail had previously served as the steward to Duke Bodric of Boldro. With the duke's permission, he had ventured into commerce independently. He controlled several trading routes and reportedly had an annual net income exceeding thirty thousand Gold Crowns. His appointment was a testament to Bodric's regard for him.

"Hello! Mr. Ismail," Laine extended his hand courteously.

"Hello, Mr. Ismail," Marchioness Surya also shook hands with Ismail, wearing the flawless aristocratic smile typical of a noblewoman: "A pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, Lady Surya's presence brings great honor to us in Boldro. Frankly, there's been a wager in Boldro's court regarding whether Lord Laine would bring a female companion, and if so, which companion it would be," Ismail knelt on one knee before rising, having performed the hand-kissing gesture.

The kneeling was due to the significantly higher status of Marchioness Surya compared to the merchant. In the gesture of hand-kissing, unmarried young women should not have their hands kissed, and if a married woman disfavored it, her hand should not be kissed either. Hence, Ismail only symbolically raised the lady knight's hand by two centimeters, which completed the gesture.

It was quite rare, in fact, for someone like Laine to kiss the back of the Lake Fairy's hand directly. Even among closely related family members, the hand-kissing gesture was mostly performed by kissing the finger back. More often, the gesture ended with the lady's hand already being let down just as it was lifted, indicating the completion of the salute.

"The pleasure is ours, Lord Laine. Welcome, Miss Surya!"

"Lord Duke is already waiting for you inside the city gates."

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