I, the Knight King, wield my sword for my myriad subjects.

Page 130

The warm breath exhaled a moment ago instantly froze into tiny frost particles as the biting cold swept in and fell.

The enormous frost dragon, less than a hundred meters above Blackrock Fortress where Arthur was, gradually stopped flapping its wings and came to a halt.

finally.

A massive dragon's shadow enveloped the entire Blackrock Fortress.

From Arthur's perspective.

He was desperately practicing the "Flame Lion Breathing Technique" to unleash a powerful wave of fire to resist the erosion of the Frost Dragon's cold air.

At the same time, he raised his hand to prevent himself from being blown over by the storm of breath from the ice dragon that was so close at hand.

He barely managed to lift his head and forcefully open his eyes.

The gaze moves down from the dragon's ferocious head, past its neck, which is covered in thick, solid ice and meanders like a mountain range, and finally focuses on its back.

Two figures stood on the back of this legendary frost dragon.

Among them, the most eye-catching was the graceful figure standing at the very front.

First, there's her clothing, which resembles a combination of flowing aurora borealis and frozen soil.

The main element is a long, dark dress, as deep as midnight, with a faint light flowing across its silk surface, resembling a black velvet night sky shrouded in scattered stars.

The skirt cascades down from the slender waist, cleverly splitting into two elegant yet sharp high slits.

A faint glimpse of her inner lining reveals an ice-blue petticoat, as pure and cold as Arctic ice, inlaid with fine silver threads.

The hem of the skirt was not made of ordinary lace ruffles, but rather of a trim made of countless tiny frost crystal particles.

As she moved almost imperceptibly, she reflected a cold light like shattered ice.

The shoulders and neckline are covered with uniquely made shoulder pads and shawl collars, which have a semi-transparent crystal-like texture and outline restrained yet sharp lines like a crescent moon.

Its surface is etched with extremely complex silver etchings that resemble star trails, so fine that they are like ancient shamanic script, exuding a mysterious aura.

A wide, shimmering, ice-blue ribbon wrapped around her arms and back, like a tamed aurora tail, hanging down at her waist, silently fluttering in the cold wind high above the castle, untouched by a speck of dust.

Her hair, like molten platinum, was meticulously styled and bound under an exquisitely crafted mithril crown.

The crown is shaped like a cluster of frozen stars, with a deep, icy core embedded in its center, emitting a faint, unchanging icy blue light, as if sealing away the deepest chill of the eternal night in the North.

A teardrop-shaped sapphire of the same material quietly adorned her fair and smooth forehead, like a fallen star kissing the icy plain.

What amazed Arthur most was her face.

It seemed to have been sculpted by the moonlight atop the snow-capped peaks—exquisite, perfect, yet expressionless.

His skin was a translucent pale white, almost snow-white, from someone who had never seen the scorching sun.

Those eyes were like frozen stars, with a breathtakingly clear, ice-blue iris surrounding a silver-gray pupil, devoid of any extra warmth or emotion.

As far as the eye can see, it's as if the moisture in the air can be condensed with a single glance, carrying a silent scrutiny and a distant, unapproachable air.

After seeing the woman's appearance.

Arthur subconsciously activated the extraordinary vision granted by Lv.2 "Blessing of the Moon".

Only then did he notice:

A miniature mithril artifact in the shape of a crescent moon was cleverly pinned to her lapel. Its shape was not that of a traditional crescent moon, but rather more like a frozen, angular icy blade, emitting a faint silvery halo symbolizing moonlight.

Meanwhile, on her slender fingers, a ring with a gemstone cut into the shape of a crescent blade shimmered with a faint blue light.

An invisible, chilling aura seemed to shroud him, causing Arthur to unconsciously hold his breath, as if even exhaling would disturb this embodiment of frozen starlight.

Arthur cried out in his heart:

This is Orianna Alcott, the current Queen of the North!

Chapter 126 Knightly Duel from Julian

Soon, Countess Orianna noticed Arthur's gaze and tilted her head slightly to look at the person spying on her from the fortress's watchtower.

But the woman's cool, beautiful face showed not a trace of emotion. She revealed Arthur's identity in an extremely calm tone:

"Are you Arthur Field, the son of Richard Gray, the eighth prince who was once unparalleled in his time?"

咛！

When Orianna looked at him, Arthur immediately tensed up.

Because at this moment, he felt an unprecedented pressure from a powerful figure rapidly approaching him from this woman who could only be described as "perfect".

The overwhelming pressure made him momentarily want to kneel down.

But his indomitable will was ignited in the next moment, helping him burn away the cowardly thoughts born of instinctive fear within him.

After regaining his senses, Arthur also gained a firm understanding of the legendary Ice Dragon Countess's strength:

She is definitely a Gold-rank Knight!

Orianna gave him a feeling that completely surpassed that of the late-stage Silver Rank Black Armor Knight Daiba and Lord Tristan of the Windpull.

He even had a gut feeling:

This woman could easily crush the formidable enemies he had faced in the past.

Finally, the perspective returns to the real world.

Arthur's face was slightly pale, but his bright, sapphire-like eyes could not hide the pride of a lion.

"Yes, my name is Arthur Field, and as Lord of Blackrock, I welcome Your Excellency Earl of Ice Dragon to Blackrock Territory."

He acted as a proper host, expressing his respect to the lord of the North who arrived as scheduled, but he did not lose his arrogance as a local lord.

Upon witnessing Arthur's performance, Countess Orianna of the Ice Dragon's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

Then, in her usual flat tone, she praised Arthur:

"Although he is only at the late stage of the Iron Rank, his soul strength is almost on par with Julian Alcott, who has just entered the early stage of the Silver Rank. He truly deserves to be a descendant of the Grey royal family!"

When she said those words, the young knight in fine clothes and armor behind her immediately felt displeased.

He stepped forward, approaching Orianna, glanced at Arthur on the watchtower, and then spoke in a disdainful tone:

“Aunt, how can those abandoned offspring, banished to the frontier by the royal family, compare to a prodigy like me from the Alcott family?”

"Your Excellency Oriana is too kind. Arthur was born into the Field family and has never had any connection with the Grey royal family."

Arthur was not discouraged by the man's harsh words. His heart remained calm, and he rationally responded to the countess's praise.

However, Julian, who was standing beside the Ice Dragon Countess, noticed the respect Arthur showed her.

He held Arthur in even greater contempt, his arrogance growing even stronger.

"Auntie, look at him. Judging from his demeanor, isn't he just an ordinary late-stage Black Iron Rank knight?"

"Mediocre?"

Upon hearing her nephew's arrogant remarks, Orianna's delicate face unusually furrowed. She shook her head and then said something that Julian could not accept.

"With your strength, you absolutely cannot beat him."

"Tch! How is this possible?"

Julian froze for a few seconds, then his expression changed drastically as he stared incredulously at the blond youth in his field of vision.

He is Julian Alcott, the rising star of the Northern Ice Dragon Clan.

Not only does he practice the excellent-grade "Frost Dragon Breathing Technique" inherited from his family, but he also advanced to the Silver Rank Knight level at the young age of nineteen.

The Alcott family is a force to be reckoned with, even by the Grey royal family of the central capital. They have dominated the North for centuries, and their family history predates the Grey Kingdom itself.

Given his background and talent, how could he be inferior to a discarded heir exiled by the Grey royal family?

Before the Frost Dragon descended upon Blackrock Fortress, the central town of Blackrock Territory.

He stood on the back of the frost dragon and observed the landscape of this territory.

Compared to the Frostwhisper County where he grew up, this remote borderland was far too barren and backward.

Therefore, Julian Alcott could not understand why his aunt would say that she was inferior to this blond young man who grew up in a barren frontier and was a year younger than him.

Not to mention that his cultivation level already surpasses that of the blond youth in front of him.

Even if they were at the same level, Julian was absolutely confident that he could crush his opponent under his feet.

Think about this.

Julian leaped off the back of the frost dragon and arrived at the gates of Blackrock Keep, shouting:

“Your Excellency Viscount Arthur, although I deeply respect my aunt Oriana, I have doubts about what she just said.”

Therefore, please forgive me for bullying you and launching an unfair duel.

Back on the lookout tower.

The butler, Leon, sensed absolutely no respect for his young master from Julian's words.

He frowned, feeling slightly displeased.

"Young Master..."

He still wanted to advise Arthur to avoid confrontation, but he swallowed his words.

Because he knew his young master's temperament all too well.

Although he was young and impetuous, he was unusually composed most of the time, especially in his overall perspective, which was unlike that of a newly appointed lord who had just come of age.

After going through the difficult battle to defend Blackrock Territory together.

Like Lawson, the Badger Knight, the butler Leon also found that Arthur's outstanding abilities had already proven many things to them.

They no longer held any prejudice or objection to the thoughts and actions of the young Blackrock Lord, but were convinced that as long as they followed him, they would witness him create one miracle after another.

So, let's get back to the present.

Butler Leon believed that Arthur would be able to handle the provocations of such arrogant people, and that he only needed to be a dutiful servant, silently watching over him and following his orders.

"Let's go down first. There's no reason for the host not to come out and receive us."

Faced with Julian's provocative words, Arthur smiled knowingly and calmly glanced at the butler, Leon, who had seemed hesitant to speak earlier.

"You agree, don't you, Butler Leon?"

"Yes, young master!"

And so, a short while passed.

The gates of Blackrock Fortress slowly opened.

Arthur and his butler Leon emerged from behind the door.

At this moment, Countess Orianna, who was standing on the back of the Frost Dragon, also came to the ground.

With her hands behind her back and her head tilted back naturally, coupled with a magnificent long dress as deep and mysterious as the starry sky, she exuded elegance.

The frost dragon, the legendary creature that had once given Arthur a powerful and visually overwhelming presence, actually bowed down in unusual meekness before her.

The frost dragon lowered its head and moved closer to her.

She then raised a hand and gently stroked the forehead of the giant dragon's head, before murmuring in an unusually gentle tone:

"Altea, I can feel your restless heartbeat. Please wait patiently for me for a moment."

Then, we set off immediately.

After saying that, she withdrew her hand and turned her gaze to Julian, who was not far in front of her.

The other party had just started a conflict, but she had no intention of stopping it.

Instead, they shifted their gaze from Julian to Arthur, who opened the door to greet them.

Orianna resumed her initial cold tone, speaking again with the air of a superior:

"Arthur, you should know very well what our purpose is in appearing here, since you received the message from Frostwhisper County half a month ago, right?"

"Your Excellency Orianna, Arthur is well aware of this."

Facing a countess whose strength was definitely above the Gold rank, Arthur remained calm and responded with a cupped-fist salute:

"You have come to Blackrock Territory to confirm our victory in eliminating the bandit scourge, which was a 'Bounty Level Three' target."

Having said that, his gaze swept past Julian, who had just provoked him and challenged him to a duel, and settled on the graceful Countess Oriana.