When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist

"So, the reason you didn't go to the winter training camp is just because you drank too much and lost track of time?"

Sitting with her legs crossed on the plush cushion of a countryside villa, Moliat looked coldly at the row of knights standing at attention.

In this early winter weather, the temperature in Mountain County was even lower, showing signs of snow.

Amid the cold weather, the knights under Moliat's command were bare-chested, exposing their smooth, plump muscles, huddling together like quails.

The red-faced knights glanced at each other, nudging and jostling among themselves, and finally pushed one person forward.

"We were wrong, we are guilty." The square-headed knight dared not look directly at the imposing iron-faced woman in front of him.

"Where did you go wrong?" Moliat asked in a deep voice.

"We went wrong because the potato root liquor was too delicious and cheap."

"Who developed this thing?"

"It's smooth and soft on the palate, seasoned with a few drops of fruit liquor and honey. Even the Holy Father would dance after drinking it..."

The tipsy knights started a lively discussion.

"Boom!"

Moliat's iron glove slammed heavily onto the table, creating a dent.

"Oh my table—" cried the knight, but swallowed his complaint when he saw the red glow under Moliat's iron mask.

"Did I come here to have you all host a wine-tasting exchange?" Moliat stood up, looking down at the square-headed knight, Steve. "I taught you how to eat potato roots, not to brew alcohol with them."

These knights were mountain knights, a specialty of the Thousand River Valley. Since the mountainous areas of the western Thousand River Valley lacked pastures, they fought on foot even though they were knights.

Mountain knights were quite different from regular knights; their farms were usually small, often led by one knight and six or seven farming households.

During busy farming seasons, knights would even work in the fields themselves and sometimes even marry peasant girls from their lands.

Rather than knights, it's more like those six or seven families support a household of soldiers.

Due to the scarcity of arable land in mountainous regions, when Moliat first took office as Duke, she initiated the Authentic Fat Pig Movement.

This movement was to have knights raise pigs and drive them into the woods to eat acorns.

After all, in mountainous areas, forests were plentiful while other resources were scarce, and while humans can't digest acorns, pigs have no such problem.

When Moliat inherited the title of Duke Hemashi, they were also called Wild Boar Knights.

However, after Moliat led them over the mountains to raid within the territory of Codfish Castle, no one used that derogatory term anymore.

After all, no one expected Moliat to form an entire Extraordinary army, with infantry from the Duchy of Hemashi trained in breathing techniques ranging from two to four segments, and all skilled longbowmen.

Moliat had a formidable force of five thousand mountain infantry.

The Thousand River Valley Mountain Infantry achieved this because the Female Grand Duke provided them with a yearly salary of 10 gold pounds and a month of free breathing technique winter training each year.

As for the source of this 50,000 gold pounds annually, it comes firstly from the Fols Clan's assets within the Falan Kingdom, secondly from the rich mines in the Thousand River Valley mountains, and thirdly from smuggling, black market trade, slave trading, Church robbery, and usury.

Of course, although Moliat engages in smuggling, black market manipulation, slave trading, Church robbery, and usury, she's still a good girl.

"Alright, all of you, go to the winter training camp, and not a drop of alcohol is allowed during the camp. If you drink, you not only have to do ten days of hard labor but also face a whipping."

After declaring the punishment for these tardy knights, they didn't protest much and obediently left the knights' hall of the manor.

"Another alcohol problem." Phil emerged from the shadows.

"Yes." Moliat rubbed her neck with some irritation.

Her group of mountain knights were excellent soldiers, marred only by issues like roughness and alcoholism stemming from their childhood training camps.

Most of the mountain knights had been pushed out from the plains by the Imperial Nobility, with many having spent time as wandering knights or even robber knights.

According to the methods of the old Duke, the first generation of Thousand River Valley Knights had to prove themselves in battle before being employed.

Starting from the second generation, all male children from knight families underwent a three-year, rigorous Sword Holder-style military education in Cold Spring City.

Only from this generation did they begin to be employed and gradually occupy a place in the Duke's administrative system.

"What brings you here to see me?"

"The mountain knights from North County have agreed; they can muster 300 Extraordinary knights, among whom more than 200 have attendant-level strength, and over 50 have flag-level strength."

"Are they here to ally or pledge allegiance, have they made that clear?"

"The knights from North are willing to pledge allegiance to you. In addition, many knights from Lower Reif County, who were originally with the Kush Clan, are also prepared to pledge allegiance to you."

"Oh?" Moliat sat up straight. "They're not planning to elect someone from the Kush Clan to take the lead?"

Phil, as the chief intelligence officer, chuckled disdainfully: "That Joan of Arc Castle character ruined his reputation. That Constans is running around with young boys from Joan of Arc Castle, so people are saying it's no wonder he hasn't married at his age..."

"Have you confirmed the identity of that boy? Is he really the uncle of that Salvation Army leader?"

"No, he's likely a scapegoat dragged in by the Church from who-knows-where. According to messages from High Castle, that Horn hadn't left Black Bone Swamp when his uncle fled."

Phil looked up at the composed Moliat, sensing that the Duchess seemed somewhat absent-minded despite her expressionless face.

"Are you really concerned about the Salvation Army, my lord?"

"Yes." Moliat nodded without hesitation. "News from Patrick says that the Salvation Army leader is a witch, but a male one, which is very rare."

Being an orphan adopted by the old Duke, Phil knew Moliat's identity: "You're planning to bring him over because..."

"A monster that can stably inherit the witch trait, who wouldn't be tempted by such a treasure?"

Phil suddenly felt a mixture of pity and sympathy for this peasant uprising leader he had never met. Falling into the hands of this ruthless Duchess, his future would likely be spent locked in a palace for breeding purposes.

"Isn't this wrong, though? He's a hero of the Thousand River Valley after all." Being a Thousand River Valley person himself, Phil spoke up for him.

"Giving him the title of a Prince, who could object? Is there anything else?"

Having done his best, Phil quickly replied: "The dwarves from the Dragon Worship Sect have arrived at White Pine Castle, handing over a letter hoping to visit you."

"They came quite quickly."

Of course, with high-interest loans forcing a bunch of dwarves from the Dragon Sleep Mountain Range to be laborers in Cold Spring Castle, how could their elders not rush over?

Phil certainly wouldn't dare say this to her face: "You offered them the possibility of openly worshiping and establishing cities in the five mountain counties, of course they'd be eager."

"Tell them I will meet with them within three days, and I'll inform them in advance."