The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

When the group arrived at the Cuilleaux tombs, François and his two hundred knights were already waiting.

This was a vast lowland basin, covered with numerous stone structures. Judging by the patterns and markings on these stone buildings, it was clear that they were the remains of ancient High Elf constructions. Even after thousands of years, the High Elf architecture still exuded enchanting artistry, though most buildings and towers had collapsed, and the walls were covered in vines.

Interspersed among the High Elf ruins were tombs, many tombs. These tombs were surrounded by skulls, and numerous stone mausoleum doors were open, filled with cobwebs and dust, with their treasures long looted by greenskins and humans.

There were hundreds of such stone mausoleums scattered across the basin. In the cold winter wind, it seemed that human glory was a thing of the past, and the future held only countless bones and endless desolation.

As the entire knightly army passed through this ancient burial ground, François, dressed in full mithril blue and white plate armor with the Holy Grail cloak hanging from his back and the Unicorn Sword at his waist, squinted his eyes. He looked solemnly at the ancient tombs, silent for a long time.

"High Elf leftovers, clearly not as sturdy as dwarven constructions," Belgar said, feeling uncomfortable as he looked at the tombs and the decayed scenery, reminded of the fallen Karak Eight Peaks, which also housed shrines and ancestral temples of his forebears.

Belgar, never willing to show weakness, resorted to tough talk.

"This looks like a settlement. Did humans use the abandoned High Elf town when they retreated from the Old World? But why has it become a graveyard?" Ryan felt the bleakness and desolation of the area, and the still fiercely hostile animals around. Unexpectedly, François signaled the knights not to attack but sighed and urged the army to pass quickly.

"These animals are not enemies; they are witnesses and guardians of the ancient Duchy of Cuilleaux. Ryan, Sulia, Julius, Gerald, you must have heard that there were dozens of Bretonni tribes crossing the Grey Mountains to settle in Bretonnia, but only fourteen duchies remained when Arthur founded the Knight Kingdom, right?" François looked at the overcast sky and spoke to the group.

"Please tell us more," Sulia said softly. She and Julius knew the story, but François was mainly telling it for Ryan's benefit. The understanding knightess graciously helped.

"The Bretonni crossing the Grey Mountains happened over a thousand years ago. In the next two hundred years, small tribes were destroyed or merged, and sixteen Bretonni tribes carved out sixteen duchies in Bretonnia. Apart from the well-known Duchies of Artois and Aquitaine, which were destroyed by vampires, there were two other duchies before King Arthur's founding. Their histories have been buried in dust, and few know of them now."

"Those are the Duchy of Cuilleaux and the Duchy of Granboyle."

François raised his hand, pointing to all the buildings and tomb clusters within the basin. "This is the original site of the Duchy of Cuilleaux."

The group remained silent.

"After several hundred years in Bretonnia, these tribes, known for producing the Old World's finest horsemen, fought greenskins, beastmen, and southern Estalians and Tileans for a long time. Then, about a thousand years ago, a massive greenskin invasion occurred, plunging Bretonnia into great peril. Greenskins rampaged across Bretonnian lands, destroying everything, burning villages, and annihilating everything in their path," François continued. "At that time, the Duchies of Cuilleaux and Granboyle concentrated all their knights to resist the greenskin tide. The outcome... you can see now."

"Back then, the whole of Bretonnia was engulfed in flames as humans battled greenskins and beastmen. Each duchy fought alone, and the Empire across the mountains, in decline, refused to aid the Bretonni. My ancestor, the Duke of Montfort, and the Duke of Brionne led their armies to aid but witnessed the complete annihilation of Cuilleaux. Thus, my ancestors decided to use a champion duel to determine the ownership of this duchy's land," François said with a gentlemanly smile.

"Clearly, the Duke of Montfort won." The result was not difficult to guess, as the land now belonged to Montfort. Ryan followed up on his father-in-law's story. "What happened next?"

"Twenty years after the fall of Cuilleaux, Bretonnia faced increasing crises. Greenskins rampaged, northern tribes raided, beastmen attacked, and chaos spread throughout Bretonnian lands. Many duchies were reduced to a few isolated fortresses with drastically reduced populations. Facing the enemy's onslaught, many dukes could only hold their lone fortresses and watch greenskins and beastmen destroy villages and people."

"At this time, the Duke of Bastogne was rising in fame across Bretonnia. He single-handedly killed a great red dragon, becoming a celebrated dragon-slaying champion. His name was..."

"Arthur," Gerald interjected. "The great first Knight King, Bretonnia's own king, Arthur Le Breton."

"Correct." François looked at the misty sky and the snowy woodland, continuing, "Arthur's rise brought hope, but Bretonnia remained fragmented. Twenty-five years later, Bretonnia faced its greatest invasion. The Duchy of Granboyle was razed by greenskins. Under Arthur's call, the Bretonni united for the first time. Cyril of Lyonesse and Landuin of Mousillon joined Arthur's 'Anti-Greenskin Alliance.' For the first time, the slogan 'Fight for Bretonnia' was heard across these lands... The rest, you know."

Everyone nodded, remembering how Arthur fought the greenskin tribes, met the Lady of the Lake by the fairy lake, and then led twelve epic battles, forming the Brotherhood of the Holy Grail and founding the Kingdom of Bretonnia.

The twelve Holy Grail Knights became dukes of twelve duchies. Their great deeds would be remembered and celebrated until the end of the world.

The young people were filled with admiration.

Ryan, however, felt François had a deeper point. He tried to continue asking, "So, we must unite to resist invasion, or we will end up like the Duchy of Cuilleaux, reduced to ruins and tombs, left for others to gaze upon?"

"No, such a superficial truth you couldn't possibly not understand." François laughed, patting Ryan on the shoulder. "Think deeper! Ryan."

"Uh..." Ryan continued to ponder, "It's about reputation and strength. Arthur's dragon-slaying earned him great fame, and his displayed strength gave the Bretonni a reason and belief to unite."

"Still not quite right, Ryan. This is something you wouldn't fail to understand." François kept smiling, looking at his son-in-law, and signaling the anxious Sulia to stay calm. "Think about it. Why did Cyril and Landuin join first? Why not Agilgar of Paravon? Why not Baldwin of Brionne? Why not Lumbard of Carcassonne? Why not Montfort's then Duke, Arthur's distant relative Redmond?"

"Because Duke Cyril of Lyonesse was Arthur's sister Rosalind's husband, Arthur's brother-in-law, and Landuin had fought alongside Arthur numerous times. These two were the most familiar with Arthur..." Ryan suddenly grasped something.

He began to understand.

The Lady of the Lake's chosen champion smiled, and François gave him another lesson. "No matter how great the strength, if no one knows, it's useless. Even with common enemies, childhood friendships and marriages played a decisive role in the early formation of Arthur's alliance."

"Good." François stroked his beard repeatedly, clearly pleased with his son-in-law. "As long as you understand."

The message François conveyed to Ryan had two key points.

First, from Arthur's founding of the kingdom until now, the unspoken rule among the nobility remained to choose capable people from familiar faces or familiar faces from capable people. This may seem unfair, but it has been the most effective standard for a thousand years, even in Ryan's previous life.

Second, for two unrelated individuals to trust each other, the simplest and most convenient way is to fight together in wars and build camaraderie or through family marriages.

Just as François, after arranging Sulia and Ryan's marriage, not only treated Ryan as family but also saw François as a reliable elder and steadfast ally. Since Ryan and Sulia's marriage, the Count of Glamorgan and the Duke of Montfort have been united in prosperity and adversity.

This is the power of marriage, the means by which nobility forms alliances through blood ties.

More importantly, this marriage brought mutual benefits and trust that both sides needed.

Ryan, personally powerful with the support of the Lady of the Lake, shrouded in a layer of mystery, and the ancient and noble Montfort family needed new blood like Ryan to grow stronger. Recognizing the flaws of the serf system, François also needed Ryan's practical approach to observe necessary changes.

Ryan, with shallow roots in the kingdom, was a skilled warrior and tactician but still unfamiliar with court and noble customs. He needed the Montfort family's help.

Thus, the shrewd, wise, and far-sighted François chose the talented and outstanding Ryan as his son-in-law early on, tightly combining their interests. Ryan responded positively, and after becoming a count, even though other noble families had excellent young knights, François had already chosen Ryan. The marriage benefitted both Ryan and the Montfort family, and Sulia was fond of Ryan.

So, from the expressions of son-in-law Ryan and daughter Sulia, this marriage was very happy.

François also told Ryan that

 not all marriages are annoying. His marriage with Sulia wasn't, so he didn't need to carry such a heavy burden and should enjoy his married life.

Ryan, after much thought, realized François' story conveyed so much content.

There was a lot of information. Ryan glanced at his wife, then nodded, indicating he understood.

Ryan wanted to say more, but François signaled him to listen. "My story isn't over yet."

"Alright." Ryan lowered his head, truly listening to his father-in-law's teachings as a son-in-law should.

"Thirty years after the kingdom's founding, in the second year of the second Knight King 'The Reckless' Louis' reign, six years after Arthur's death, Cyril and Landuin dueled. It was said to involve Cyril's wife, Arthur's sister Rosalind, and Landuin's affair, as well as the long-standing territorial dispute between the Duchies of Lyonesse and Mousillon."

"In this duel, Landuin defeated Cyril, leaving a terrible scar on Cyril's face. Decades of camaraderie were destroyed. After the duel, the sorrowful Landuin returned to Mousillon and never left his castle again. Forty-three years later, Landuin was found dead in his sleep. This Sanctuary Holy Grail Great Knight, stronger than Arthur and Duke of Mousillon, died at under one hundred and fifty years old," François continued.

Sanctuary Holy Grail Great Knights have long lifespans. Cyril, another Sanctuary Holy Grail Great Knight, lived nearly three hundred and fifty years before dying in battle at the Sane River.

Hearing this story, everyone sighed. Former comrades, intimate chivalric friends, and Holy Grail partners, Cyril and Landuin fought alongside each other in the kingdom's founding twelve great battles but turned against each other for some reason, leaving the knights regretful.

"...The passion brought by dreams always cools, but desires are endless, even for Holy Grail Knights. Landuin must have felt pain when defeating Cyril," Ryan said softly. "So he never left his castle again, knowing the duel with Cyril was not his wish. But he was not just a Holy Grail Knight; he was also Duke of Mousillon! When Mousillon's interests were threatened, and his honor attacked, he had to stand up and use all his strength to defeat Cyril and end the dispute, or it would be the greatest desecration of chivalry!"

"This is the second lesson I want to teach you, Ryan." François' sea-blue eyes focused on Ryan as he spoke softly. "A group united solely by dreams and personal prestige cannot last long and harmoniously. Only mature regulations can ensure the kingdom's court functions. After that duel, the second Knight King Louis began drafting the initial chivalry code, establishing and refining the chivalry system, and a complete noble enfeoffment system and kingdom laws. Since then, no Holy Grail Knights have dueled over differences."

"Thank you for your guidance!" Ryan bowed deeply, grateful for the lesson.

"Mm." François accepted Ryan's courtesy graciously. The duke hesitated before finally speaking.

"'The Tiger' Richard plans to abdicate. He wants 'The Lionheart' Duke Lauen to succeed him. The king's abdication is already on the court's agenda. Ryan... what do you plan to do?"

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