The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

"Pavar?"

In the Old World, Brittany, the Duchy of Wintfort, the Countship of Glamorgan, in Jean Town's city center on Champion Avenue, the tavern "Grail Praise" was the scene of a discussion between a Holy Grail Knight, Armand, and a Kingdom Knight, Hex, about the decree for knight promotion.

This tavern was the most upscale in town, showcasing the finest wines from all over the world, including wood elf fruit wines, top-quality wines "Obelion," "Latour," and "Lusarus" from Wintfort's prestigious vineyards, the Empire's specialty malt beer "Korben's Finest" (royal exclusive), dwarf Bargman beer, and high elf exquisite magical brews.

Some sufficiently noble guests could even taste the "Lady's Reserve," a wine personally cultivated and brewed by the Lady of the Lake beside her high tower.

The "Lady's Reserve" was produced in very limited quantities, thus only a select few were privileged enough to drink it. Although the Duke of Griffon from the Empire had tasted all of Brittany's fine wines and "Lady's Reserve," and pointed out that while the "Lady's Reserve" surpassed all other Old World wines, it was still slightly inferior to Wintfort's premier wine "Lusarus." However, all Bretonnians firmly believed that the "Lady's Reserve" was the finest wine in the world, including Count Ryan's father-in-law, Francois.

The tavern wasn't very crowded, undoubtedly because it catered to the Old World's elite: nobles, Holy Grail Knights, expeditionary knights, and wealthy merchants. The owner of the tavern was a mystery; people only knew that besides the count and his lady, the Lady seemed to be involved as well. At least the Lady's Witch Morgiana sometimes appeared here, and the tavern would offer free drinks and meals to passing expeditionary knights.

The shiny hardwood floors were immaculate, a Lake Prophet was counting drinks behind the bar, and the bright magical lights illuminated the interior. The high-quality pear wood of the bar and furniture reflected light, and golden grail and iris patterns adorned the interior. The seated knights and nobles were mostly well-mannered—those who were rude were quickly dragged out and marked as unwelcome.

Nobles from the kingdom, famous figures from various sectors, and some foreign merchants who came here most desired to drink in this tavern. However, the tavern always limited seating to twenty people, and some booths were booked a month in advance.

Hex was somewhat uncomfortable. This Kingdom Knight, usually cold-eyed and solely focused on his family's revival, was uncharacteristically restrained. His drink was empty, and unlike Holy Grail Knight Armand, he did not have the confidence to loudly ask the Lake Prophet behind the bar for a refill—in this kingdom, Lake Prophets enjoyed immense privileges, immune from legal constraints, and only Morgiana and those favored by the Lady, like Ryan, could command them.

Hex, as a subordinate of Ryan in charge of military training, particularly training peasant infantry and sergeants, was generally feared by the soldiers due to his grim demeanor.

In contrast, Holy Grail Knight Armand appeared relaxed and enthusiastic.

With the death of the Duke of Blood, his family's sworn enemy, this knight, who had vowed revenge against the Duke of Blood since childhood, could finally shed his heavy mental burden and travel light. Seeing Hex's empty cup, he drained his large beer mug and gestured, "Miss, we need refills."

The Lake Prophet refilled their mugs with premium Empire black beer.

Over beef pies and creamy cod soup, Armand asked, "Where were we?"

"The legendary figure who went from serf to Holy Grail Knight, Pavar."

"Right, Pavar." Armand nodded, murmuring, "Pavar is a true legend, a revered man who accomplished the unthinkable in his lifetime."

"Pavar was born in a remote village and decided from a young age to dedicate all his faith to the Lady. Being a serf, his path was straightforward—he became a Grail Pilgrim, following the renowned Holy Grail Knight Sir Lancelok through countless battles for most of his life, his decades of arduous pilgrimage making him an outstanding warrior."

"After campaigning with Sir Lancelok for most of his life, the fifty-year-old Pavar faced a great trial. The Grail Chapel guarded by Sir Lancelok was attacked by a massive Skaven army. The Holy Grail Knight led his Grail Pilgrims in a desperate battle against the Skaven, and in the end, Sir Lancelok and the Skaven warlord perished together, with heavy casualties among the Grail Pilgrims, nearly all killed."

"Everyone was killed?" Hex could imagine the fierceness of the battle, with the Skaven likely attempting to steal relics from the Grail Chapel. Outnumbered, the

 Holy Grail Knights and Pilgrims would hold their ground until the bitter end.

"All but Pavar... This fifty-year-old serf somehow managed alone to defend the Grail Chapel and Sir Lancelok's body for three hours by himself, holding out until reinforcements arrived and annihilated the Skaven! It's said when the Duke's reinforcements arrived, Pavar was blood-soaked, delirious, driving his broken sword into a rat ogre's skull!"

"This is just…" Hex was stunned by Pavar's deeds, holding off a Skaven army alone for three hours?!

"After the war, Pavar, for his heroic actions, earned the title 'Skaven Slayer' and was even commended by the Lady. He was brought before the king in Corona, where he was knighted right in the Grail Chapel!"

"Pavar did not settle into nobility. This lifelong seeker of the Grail did not let his noble status tempt him; he took a vow of expedition on the spot, beginning his own Grail quest."

"This quest lasted fifty years, Pavar's path of the Grail continued for a full fifty years. When everyone had forgotten him, he returned, a hundred years old, his eyes fiery red, his body gleaming with the blessings of the Lake, undoubtedly now a Holy Grail Knight. The pilgrim wrote his own saga of the Grail, from serf to Holy Grail Knight, inspiring generations of serfs. He personally proved the justice of the Grail."

Armand spoke reflectively, "So you see why there are so many Grail Pilgrims? Not everyone can catch the Lady's gaze. Serfs understand that to draw the Lady's attention without being knights, they need a special approach."

"Devotion… It's indeed a special method. The Lady always smiles on those who spend a lot of time on the battlefield and in the chapel." Hex was moved by the serf's longing, hesitatingly adding, "If a serf can demonstrate such merit, letting him become nobility... I have nothing to say against it."

"So you still have some reservations about the decree for knight promotion?" Armand sensitively picked up on Hex's tone.

"Who wouldn't? There are so many knightly titles, some get more, others less. Sure, the northern nobility suffered heavy losses fighting the chaos, and they might need this. But in our south, there are plenty of young men who could become knights. Why not transfer some from the south instead of selecting a few serfs?" Hex complained, "Since it's the Lady's will, I'll hold my peace. Three it is, everyone can accept that."

"We always need to provide some opportunities," Armand continued, gazing at the bright magical light.

"Isn't becoming a sergeant enough? Their whole families become freemen! Isn't that enough?" Hex, as if provoked, pressed on, "Rangers? To ride and fight alongside knights, isn't that enough?"

"Not enough, Hex. Can you tell me, when you mount your warhorse, fully armed, lifting your lance, shouting the Lady's name in a charge, what does that feel like?" Armand murmured.

"It feels like I own the world." Hex answered seriously.

After a pause, the thirty-year-old Kingdom Knight suddenly blushed, "I understand, Armand, I was too superficial."

"That's good."

...

Mid-November, night, the Duchy of Bordeleaux, the dock of Manann, a high elf oceanic warship was slowly departing from the shore.

Hundreds of high elves moved swiftly on the deck and in the cabins, setting sails, anchoring, and keeping watch, each elf going about their tasks in an orderly fashion. In contrast to the extremely crowded human galleons lacking personal space, the high elf oceanic warship, though housing hundreds of troops, maintained perfect order and spaciousness without any crowding.

The sea wind howled, stars hung high, waves continued to crash, and foam crested. The high elf Archmage Teclis, leaning on Lileath's Moon Staff, stood on the deck, silently staring at the sky, silent.

The Archmage's expressionless face as he looked at the bright Milky Way and the reflection on the sea surface was known by those familiar with him to signify his displeasure.

He tried to pray to his goddess of the moon, Lileath, asking her what he should do next, but the goddess did not respond. Instead, Teclis was approached by the sound of footsteps from behind.

"Archmage Teclis, won't you rest?"

"Aren't you in the cabin with your new bride?"

"It's still early, Archmage Teclis."

Teclis turned around to find Count Ryan, his black hair whipped about by the sea wind, the Chosen Champion who had just finished his honeymoon, standing beside him.

One man watching the stars had become two.

Unexpected yet

 logical, the wood elves were deeply wary and resistant to Teclis's arrival. Whatever Teclis said, the King and Queen of the forest responded with skepticism. Perhaps to Estelle, the Asur either intended to drag them into an endless war with the dark elves or sought to subjugate the wood elves under the Phoenix King again.

Estelle would accept neither. In the wood elves' view, the forest was everything, and unless there were irresistible forces, they would never abandon it.

Never.

Though not Finubar or Tyrion, lacking the former's eloquent charm and the latter's divine-like beauty and natural charisma, Teclis couldn't convince the wood elves with his quiet, cold words. His repeated warnings of the impending End Times were scoffed at by his forest kin—what do the deaths of others have to do with us?

The wood elves care only about their forest.

Nevertheless, Orion and Ariel still hosted Teclis with due ceremony, listened carefully to his reasons, and used the power of the Oak of Ages to divine.

The results of the divination were not to be disclosed. Teclis knew the royal couple had learned something from it, but what good was it? They still rejected his alliance proposal.

"Not even a little gain?" Ryan had anticipated this outcome; the Lady of the Lake had told him earlier that it would be difficult for Teclis to succeed.

"Not entirely, Estelle is not as ignorant of the outside world as we thought." Teclis shook his head, "Your friend, Estel, you know him as a mercenary traveling the continent, but actually…"

"Actually, he, along with many other half-elves and wood elves, serve as mercenaries roaming the continent. They are commanded by the King and Queen of the forest, ostensibly traveling but actually observing the outside world and gathering intelligence." Ryan added, aware of this fact already.

In the wood elf observation station within the Countship of Glamorgan, many wood elves continually worked in intelligence. The wood elves are not foolish; their foreign policy is "absolute isolation," but this does not mean they are oblivious to the world beyond the forest. On the contrary, the political and war situations in the human kingdoms and mountain dwarf realms are well within their grasp.

A prime example is the Kingdom of Brittany. Throughout the kingdom's millennium history, whenever the knights faced crises, wood elf troops would appear to aid them, helping eliminate external threats before vanishing back into the forest.

This was because if Brittany had not steadfastly defended its territory, the wood elves would have struggled to enjoy such prolonged peace. The knights shielded the wood elves from most external threats.

"Yes, I think my efforts were somewhat useful." Teclis looked at Ryan, "After their divination, Queen Ariel and King Orion believe you are the one who can allow the wood elves to continue enjoying peace. They have decided to bestow upon you the title of 'Friend of Athel Loren.'"

"In addition to the title, a group of Wild Riders will leave the forest to come under your command."

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