Chapter 436 - 297: Going Home

The Southern Territory had already entered summer. Normally, the season would bring a sweltering haze and rolling heat waves—so hot that even the wind seemed to hide, and the leaves couldn’t be bothered to stir.

But now, the climate was surprisingly comfortable. A thin, short linen shirt was all one needed to enjoy the cool, gentle breeze.

Levi stood on his carriage and looked into the distance. The sky was high and the land vast. Under the sun, a gentle breeze rustled through the pine forest, and the ryegrass in the fields rolled like waves of wheat.

The entire terrain of Debei was relatively flat, with few mountains and many plains. This was why Debei had several times the number of cavalry as other nations; even a Baron might maintain a force of several hundred horsemen.

This land was in a constant state of change, yet it did not change for anyone. Not for the Demons now, and not for the people of the future.

"The sky is vast enough for any bird to fly; the sea is wide enough for any fish to leap."

"And my own glory days are just beginning."

This journey south had been incredibly fruitful for High Cliff Castle. In high spirits, Levi couldn’t help but shake his head and recite a few lines.

"Lord, we’ll be taking our leave now."

A voice called out. Turning around, he saw Fujero, dressed in riding attire and mounted on a low-level Magical Beast.

Standing on the carriage, the Lord was a head taller than him. He spoke casually, "Alright. Be careful on the road. When you pass by Terror Castle, say hello to Si Kai for me. Tell him to come to High Cliff Castle for a cup of tea when he’s free."

Ever since this Knight had been appointed to oversee the very long supply line, Levi hadn’t seen him. To be honest, he had actually missed him a little.

After all, besides women, there weren’t many people he was on good terms with.

Andao almost counted, but unfortunately, the guy just had to go and raise a death flag before leaving, which led to him being ambushed and annihilated by Demons.

He served as a cautionary tale, teaching the Lord a valuable lesson.

"Lord, when you pass through Bailiu City, feel free to stop by my estate for a visit. It would be a good chance for Lorina to discuss matters of trade with High Cliff Castle," Fujero said, seizing the moment. His expression was perfectly earnest, betraying no ulterior motives whatsoever.

"Done," Levi agreed with a nod, without a second thought.

If High Cliff Castle, situated in the Wilderness, was to develop, it had to engage in mutual exchange and large-scale trade.

The Wilderness was nothing but endless plains, perfect for raising warhorses. Its various animal hides, not to mention the Magic Materials from its Magical Beasts, were all things that were scarce within Debei.

Finally, Fujero led the soldiers of the Thorn Corps away, setting off on the road back to Bailiu City.

They were among the last batch of soldiers to leave. After the Lord refused Fulina, the resolute Duke of the North had immediately departed with her main force, leaving only Fujero behind to handle the wrap-up.

After all, for such a massive army, every extra day spent here was a huge logistical challenge. Fortunately, a portion of the supplies had been provided by Liya from Kolon.

However, the first to leave had been Fatir and Mandela, along with their contingent of Griffin Knights.

The former had been away for too long and had to return to the Holy Light Church as soon as possible. As he left, he kept nagging the Lord, insisting that he absolutely must pay a visit to the Holy Light Church.

As for Mandela?

The Lord got angry just thinking about it. They had clearly agreed that after dealing with the remaining Demons, he would explain what was going on with his second-in-command, Xi Ang.

But unexpectedly, as soon as the Demons were dealt with, that bastard took off with his Chosen Swordsmen on their Griffins, leaving only a hastily scrawled note: "Levi, I’m leaving Lord Xi Ang in your hands. He will tell you everything."

Levi swore that the next time he met that bastard, he would absolutely challenge him to a "friendly" sparring match!

And just like that, with the war over, the whole group disbanded on the spot. Everyone went their separate ways, back to their own homes and their own mothers.

And so, the High Cliff Castle contingent became the last force that hadn’t left. No, wait, that guy Damon hadn’t left either. To be precise, he had nowhere to go.

As if on cue, just as Levi had that thought, a burly, middle-aged man with a resolute face like a lion’s strode toward him.

"My Lord, that guy isn’t here to cause trouble for us, is he?" Rivinci asked curiously, rubbing his still-bruised eye socket.

As a painter born and raised in Kolon, he was well aware of the conflict between the two men.

If it weren’t for the Lion Hunter Knight before him, Damon would have become the Lord of the South, not the lonely figure he was now, abandoned by his soldiers.

"Still looking for trouble with me?" Levi sneered. "If that’s really the case, I was just looking for an excuse to put him in his place."

After the war against the Demons ended, he had written a detailed report for Liya about the conflict, one that was free of any personal bias.

It also included an inquiry about how to deal with Damon.

The final result was just as the saying goes: in any war, no matter how it’s fought, the majority of the dead are commoners; the nobles are few and far between.

The saying "When states rise, the people suffer; when states fall, the people suffer" wasn’t just empty words.

Liya’s punishment for Damon was to demote him to Baron and have him guard White Bone Fortress for the rest of his life, forbidden from ever taking a step outside. Furthermore, he was only allowed to keep three thousand soldiers; the rest were all to be sent back to Kolon.

Levi wasn’t surprised by this at all. After all, the struggle for titles in the Southern Territory was just internal strife among their own people.

To put it bluntly, Damon had even held Liya in his arms when she was a child.

With a relationship like that, unless it was a matter of revenge for a murdered father, even a fight over a title wouldn’t end in death. At most, it would result in life imprisonment or this kind of exile to the frontier, ensuring he could never make a comeback.