Sir Baldemar had always believed that Dallion was the final heir to the Kingdom of Pendor, and he himself was probably the last Griffin Knight with a legacy.
He vowed to help Dallion restore his country - he had always taught Dallion this...
However, as Dalion grew up, Pauldemar began to have some doubts - Dalion did not look like Helen at all, and the ring that had once shone brightly in Helen's hand had almost no reaction in Dalion's hand...
So his heart was filled with contradictions and distress.
He is a griffon knight, the guardian of the royal family of Pendor, and his lifelong belief requires him to find the true royal descendants.
But the old man raised Darion for so many years, and they are closer than if they were his own children... He would rather believe that there was something wrong with the ring.
This is very confusing.
So Pauldemar did not tell Dallion about his doubts.
He didn't know what to say. After all, he had always told Dallion that he was the 'true king of Pendor', 'blood of the previous king', and 'legitimate heir to the throne'...
But no matter what, the doubts in his heart always existed.
So he still insisted that Dallion was a direct descendant of the royal family, and still educated Dallion in this way, but he made two preparations...
While teaching Dallion, he looked for other possibilities.
Of course it would be best if we could find someone who can use this seal of the Supreme King.
If he cannot find it, then no matter whether Dallion is the blood of the previous king or not, he will insist on helping Dallion restore his country - this is the meaning of the old man's existence as the last Griffin Knight and the value of his life.
This seemed like a reasonable idea, but the problem was that he didn't know how to look for other possibilities.
He is old and has no manpower...
Moreover, even if there are still descendants of the former king in the world, they will definitely hide their identities. After all, he himself can only live in seclusion in the mountains with Cleon.
It was not until ten years ago that Milgan and some adventurers found the sealed ancient settlement.
At that time, Dallion was only a teenager, and Pauldemar was already old. The old and the young were unable to deal with Milgan , and could only watch him loot all the weapons and equipment in the base.
But this gave Pauldemar an idea.
The old knight came forward and told Mirgan that this was the arsenal of the Griffin Knights. The one who found these griffin equipment would be the chosen one, and could rule the world with the name of "Griffin Sword"...
In order to make Milgan believe, Baldemar deliberately said that if he defeated him, he could take away the "Griffin Sword" in his hand, which represented the supreme royal power of ancient Pande - of course, the sword in his hand was actually just the weapon of the Knight Commander of the Griffin Knights. The sword that truly represented the royal power was taken to Barkley by Leon's parents at that time, but the old knight did not know it.
Milgan was young and full of vigor at the time, and he really believed it. He defeated the old knight, took away Baldemar's sword, and then really named the adventure group "Griffin Sword".
Pauldemar is actually using Mirgan to attract the attention of the outside world.
Anyway, it is destined that the weapons and equipment will be taken away by Milgan, so it is a good idea to take the opportunity to let Milgan attract firepower.
In the old knight's opinion, this would not only test the reaction of the Sarleon Kingdom to the name of 'Griffin Sword', but also attract the true royal bloodline through this iconic name.
Because the real Griffin Sword does represent the kingship of Pendor, but more than a hundred years have passed, and few people in Pendor now know the significance of that sword.
Perhaps only the royal descendants and those who preserve the heritage of the Griffin Knights will not forget.
The old knight felt that if there were still descendants of the Pendor royal family in this world, they would know the significance of the Griffin Sword and would definitely go find Milgan's team. If he kept a close eye on Milgan, he might gain something.
Add to that so many Griffin Knights equipment, most people would think that the Sword of the Griffin Mercenaries is just an alias for the Griffin Knights, and the royal family of Pendor would definitely pay attention to it.
Just as the old knight had imagined, the 'Griffin Sword Adventure Group' was extremely ostentatious after obtaining the griffin equipment and became famous in a few years.
However, Baldemar, who had been tracking and observing this adventuring group, gained nothing - no royal family of Pendor showed up, only many ambitious people were looking for trouble with Milgan.
And people grow up. After being a shield for a few years, the arrogant Milgan also realized that the so-called Griffin Sword he got from the old knight was actually of no benefit to him...
Milgan was no longer so high-profile and announced to the outside world that his equipment were just spoils of war - he wanted to distance himself from the fact that his mercenary group was in a hostile relationship with the Griffin Knights.
From then on, the Griffin Sword became a pure mercenary group, taking on more missions such as guarding or searching for noble women, and fewer people paid attention to this mercenary group.
So the old man’s calculation failed.
In fact, the old knight's plan was doomed to fail.
Because the old man didn't expect that after Princess Helen and her husband fled to the Barkley continent, they never mentioned anything about bloodline royal rights to their children, and they also sealed up the Sword of the Griffin - Leon Griffin, who was hit with a club, didn't know the significance of the Sword of the Griffin at all.
The noble princess became an ordinary noblewoman, and the unrivaled knight became an ordinary hired knight. After going through many things, the couple no longer planned to restore their country, and just wanted to live a good life in Barkley...
Of course, Pauldemar did not gain nothing - he at least found that the current Kingdom of Sarleon did not react to the 'Sword of the Griffin'.
This means that the current King Ulric of the Fierce Lion seems to be different from the Mad King. He doesn't care much about the existence of the Griffin Knights, but he doesn't recognize its legitimacy.
Later, Baron Leofric became Lord of Kwen, which further proved this point - nobles who openly used the griffin emblem could become baron lords of the Kingdom of Sarleon.
The old knight had also met Baron Leofric a few years ago, and learned that Leofric’s ancestors were indeed Griffin Knights.
However, Leofric said that he was now the Lord of the Sarleon Kingdom and it was impossible for him to return to an illegal knight order, let alone support Dallion's restoration of his kingdom. Unless the flag of the Kingdom of Pendor was raised again and his safety could be guaranteed...
Of course, Leofric also showed kindness to the old Griffin Knight, but that was all.
So the old knight simply let Dallion go down the mountain and directly claimed the throne.
This can not only accumulate strength, but also attract true royal blood - if there is any.
Of course, if you really haven't found it yet, then just let it go...
So the mistake continued until a few months ago.
The story of Leon persuading the drunkards to quit in Kwen Village spread and reached Pauldemar's ears.
In fact, for Leon, the battle was not fierce at all. In essence, Alaric took the initiative to seek a normal transaction after he woke up.
But due to the huge disparity in the number of people on both sides, it was spread as a miracle in Kwen Village...
With thirty men, he fought off eight hundred men, and the opponent was the notoriously difficult "Drunkards". According to rumors, Li Ang even defeated the drunkards - after all, they paid for the alcohol. When did the drunkards ever pay for a drink?
In fact, the money was paid by Li Ang...
But in the eyes of those who don't know the truth, this is certainly a brilliant and legendary victory...
In addition, Leon's griffin flag has appeared frequently recently, and is used by caravans and convoys. Baron Leon's reputation in this area is actually much greater than expected.
So Pauldemar began to pay special attention to Leon, but he was now old and had difficulty walking, so he couldn't go to Leon's territory. He had to let Dallion develop in Kwen Village and invite Leon back when he met him.
The reason why he asked Dallion to stay in Kwen was similar to what the Lord imagined.
Dallion had always lived in the mountains with his adoptive father. He had not seen much of the world and was very upright in character. Therefore, Pauldemar did not dare to let Dallion run too far and required Dallion to only move around the village of Kwen.
Because Baron Leofric knows of their presence and will protect Dallion.
"Your Highness Leon, I have long felt that Dalion is not a royal descendant... so I have indeed been looking for the real one. But I did not expect that you are Princess Helen's son - I am really relieved to see you exist at this age."
Pauldemar looked at Leon with a smile, but behind that smile there was a hint of bitterness.
Of course, the lord understood this bitterness. The old man had raised Darion for more than 20 years. Now that it was confirmed that there was someone else who would be the heir to the royal family, although the old man was mentally prepared, he would still feel a little sad.
"I admire the Griffin Knight's loyalty, ser."
Leon bowed to Pauldemar. He really admired this old knight who had been fulfilling his oath all his life.
Pauldemar bowed slightly, probably very happy that his loyalty was recognized.
"In fact, I have investigated you, Your Highness. I know most of your deeds, and I am pleased that your performance is worthy of the Griffin Knights' following... In this way, I finally don't have to let Dallion do things he is not good at. I know myself well. I can only teach him to be a knight, but I can't teach him how to govern a country. Now he can get rid of the shackles of the throne, which is actually the happiest thing for me! Now I just need him to pass on the Griffin Knights..."
The bitterness on Pauldemar's face had disappeared, leaving behind a sincere smile: "And you are capable enough to raise the flag of Pende."
Of course Leon could understand. The old man had raised Darien for more than 20 years and obviously had a deep affection for him.
If he had a choice, the old man certainly wouldn't want to let Dallion fight for the throne. The old knight understood Dallion's temperament and knew how risky it was.
After confirming that the lord was the direct heir to the royal family of Pendor, Baldemar was truly happy from the bottom of his heart - his adopted son could get rid of the most dangerous job.
But Li Ang also didn't plan to reveal his identity to the public right now. He already had enough enemies...
Then, the Lord asked a question that troubled the old knight: "I'm sorry, Sir, I don't plan to openly raise the banner of rebellion against a kingdom for the time being, so you really can't call me Your Highness. But I can support Dallion in rebuilding the Griffin Knights - but I'm a little skeptical, how are you going to tell him..."
Leon looked at the old knight with some sarcasm.
"I was just thinking about how to tell him... This is also my fault. He has always believed that he is the king of Pendor..."
Pauldemar suddenly looked sad.
Dallion has believed this since he was born. If he suddenly changes his mind, Dallion will definitely doubt his life and may even become autistic...
However, this matter could only be solved slowly by the old knight who was his adoptive father. Leon shook his head, took off the ring in his hand and handed it back to Pauldemar.
"Before I have the power of the High King, I will not use the seal of the High King, Sir, you should keep it for now. You don't have to let Dallion follow me for now, maybe he has his own way to go. I can build the base at the foot of the mountain first as the base of the Griffin Knights..."
Leon did intend to rebuild the Griffin Knights, because at least he had to ensure that the ruins were protected by armed forces.
Moreover, as the oldest knightly order on this continent, the Griffin Knights are still coveted by many Pendor knights. Although they have been destroyed, many ancient aristocratic families still believe that they are the most orthodox knightly order.
The Kingdom of Pendor was not destroyed due to governance problems, but was attacked by the Red Death, which led to the extinction of the royal heir and caused civil strife, giving foreign enemies an opportunity to take advantage. Therefore, many old nobles do miss the Kingdom of Pendor.
In fact, Dallion claimed that he had the royal blood of ancient Pande and put himself out there as a claimant to the throne. Although this approach is likely to make him a puppet, it can be regarded as a kind of amulet in a sense.
Because apart from the king, no one would easily take his life openly, so as to avoid being branded as "murdering the orthodox royal family".
After all, the Sarleon King's accession to the throne was indeed illegitimate, and the first Sarleon King Alfred himself did not tamper with this history.
However, all the right and wrong things are empty words, and in the end, strength is the final word.
If a formal war of opposition really breaks out, no matter what the legal principles are, most nobles will only follow the strong, just as Baron Leofric said - at least to ensure his safety.
Most civilians may have a yearning for the once powerful and prosperous Kingdom of Pendor, but they will actually only support the "good lord" in their perception. After all, they are more concerned about whether they have food to eat.
Therefore, Li Ang never thought of using bloodline identity to attract people.
Because, when you are strong enough, someone will naturally add a legal footnote to your bloodline...
Bloodline becomes noble because of the strong.
The High King's emblem ring was actually only used to prevent counterfeiting. Probably its biggest purpose was to prevent the seal from being stolen - other people would definitely not be able to display the small words surrounding the griffin: "This is the will of the High King" when using the seal.
Of course, it does represent heritage, but it can only be unveiled if it is powerful enough...
Just like the Griffin Sword that represents the kingship of Pendor, Leon doesn't even dare to bring it to Sarleon City.
My Lord is not strong enough.
The old knight did not object to Leon's approach. He put away the ring and nodded.
But as Leon turned to leave the hut, Paul Demar said behind him: "Sir Leon... before you publicly raise the banner of Gupande, I will let Dallion continue to claim the throne... I hope you can send someone to protect him."
The old knight seemed quite hesitant when he said this, and it seemed like it was difficult for him to speak.
And this time, there is indeed no use for 'Your Highness'.
"Of course, I'll send someone after him. Thank you for your help, sir."
Li Ang turned around and bowed sincerely to express his gratitude again.
This is indeed something we should be thankful for. The old knight is using Dallion to help the lord attract attention so that the lord can develop slowly...
Of course, this may also be because the old man didn't know how to explain it to Dallion for a while...
The lord walked out of the hut, patted the bewildered Dallion on the shoulder, and said, "I will send people to protect you and your father, Dallion. In addition, I will rebuild the Griffin Knights at the old base at the foot of the mountain."
"Really? That's great! Father..."
The confusion on Dallion's face turned into excitement, but then he was called into the hut by the old knight.
The lord smiled and went straight down the mountain.
…
After the Lord returned to Changhe Town, a lot of news came from the entire east.
BraveShield Castle faced a joint siege by the Jatu people and bandits, but since the bandits failed to trap Godric, Charles and others, they brought all their troops into BraveShield Castle, and Godric also summoned most of the garrison troops in Changhe Town.
The total number of defenders of Brave Shield Castle was 1,500, and the castle itself was very easy to defend, so it was naturally as solid as a rock.
In just two days, the two barons Godric and Leofric went out separately and completely repelled the enemy.
The Red Arrow Longbowmen also gained some fame in this battle.
These originally unqualified archers, in continuous battles, quickly grew into a good troop, and even became Godric's new guard - his original guard at White Hart Castle had become Amy's guard.
The even more famous one is Charles. After the siege of Yongdun Castle was relieved, he even rushed to Fletcher Village with injuries. With less than a hundred soldiers, he defeated hundreds of bandits in a crazy way.
Charles took no prisoners in this battle. He killed many people and put all the heads on wooden stakes outside the village of Fletcher.
Because after he entered Yongdun Castle, the bandits massacred many people in Fletcher Village.
Also because, Riva died.
Died protecting Charles.
After the battle, Godric did not return to Changhe Town. He and Charles continued to lead their troops in pursuit westward, chasing the bandits into the jurisdiction of Lion Lake City.
The unexpected attack by the baron, who never attacked, was beyond most people's expectations.
Godric knew that those Red Brotherhood gangsters must have come from the Duke of Alma - but no one had any evidence.
Alma did not appear to any of them.
Therefore, he had to chase after the defeated bandits and find out some evidence.
When the bandits were defeated, they would surely return to their master.
As for Charles - his purpose is relatively pure, he just wants to kill the mastermind behind the scenes.
There are currently very few troops stationed in Changhe Town. Since the Horn Summoning Rangers claimed to be "going to suppress bandits", they seemed to have disappeared. No one knew where Alma took them. It was said that they went to the jurisdiction of Lion Lake City in the north.
The beacon fire at White Hart Castle had also stopped. It was fake in the first place. Eric had already sent back to White Hart Castle the news that Leon had left Sarleon City safely.
The war in the entire east seemed to have subsided, and the battlefield had shifted to the northern Lion Lake City area.
But for Li Ang, this means that the struggle has just begun.