"Pavard's feat was simply…" Hex was amazed by Pavard's achievement, battling the Skaven army alone for three hours?!

"After the war, Pavard earned the title of 'Ratman Slayer' due to his deeds and was praised by the Lady. He was taken to Kulona to meet the King, who directly knighted him as a Kingdom Knight in the Holy Grail Cathedral!"

"Pavard did not establish a vassal state. This pilgrim, who had yearned for the Holy Grail all his life, was not tempted by nobility. He immediately declared his vow of expedition and began his Holy Grail Expedition."

"This journey lasted fifty years. Pavard's Path of the Holy Grail continued for a whole fifty years, and when everyone had forgotten him, he returned. At the age of one hundred, Pavard's eyes were red, and his body flashed with the blessing of the Lake God; without doubt, he had become a Holy Grail Knight. The pilgrim wrote a melody of the Holy Grail with his life, proving the fairness of the Holy Grail, from peasant to Holy Grail Knight, inspiring generations of peasants."

Armand remarked with some emotion, "So you understand why there are so many Holy Grail Pilgrims now? Not everyone can attract the attention of the Lady. The peasants realize that if they want the Lady's attention without being knights, they need some special methods."

"Piety… That method is truly special, the Lady always smiles upon the devotees who spend much time on the battlefield and in the cathedral." Hex marveled at the peasant's yearning, hesitantly saying, "If a peasant can show such performance, making him a noble… I have nothing to say."

"It seems you still have opinions about the Knight Promotion Order?" Armand keenly sensed the discomfort in Hex's tone.

"Who doesn't? There are so many knight titles, some people get more, others get less, that's right, the northern nobles suffered heavy losses against the Chaos Scraps, they may need this, but in the south, there are plenty of young men who can become knights, why don't we transfer some people from the south, but instead choose a few peasants?" Hex complained, "Since it's the Lady's will, I have nothing to say. Three is acceptable."

"We always need to give some opportunities." Armand continued, looking at the bright Magic Lamp.

"Becoming a sergeant isn't enough? Their whole family are Free People now! Isn't that enough?" Hex reacted as if stimulated, speaking repeatedly, "Ranger? Riding with knights, fighting together, isn't that enough?"

"Not enough, Hex. Can you tell me what it's like when you mount a warhorse, fully armed, raise a cavalry lance, and charge in the Lady's name?" Armand murmured.

"I feel like I own the whole world." Hex answered seriously.

After a long time, the three-decade-old Kingdom Knight suddenly blushed, "I understand, Armand, I was too shallow."

"Good."

...

Mid-November, night, Boldro Duchy, Manannan Dry Dock, a High Elf ocean-going giant ship was slowly leaving the shore.

Hundreds of High Elves moved quickly on deck and below, setting sails, weighing anchor, and keeping watch, all of them systematically going about their work, showing order in complexity. Compared to the extremely cramped human sailing ships, without personal space, the High Elf ocean-going giant ship held hundreds of troops, yet everything was perfect and orderly, with no crowded spaces.

The sea wind howled, the galaxy hung high, the waves sounded as before, and Supreme Grandmaster Tygris stood on the deck with Lilith's Moon Staff, silently watching the sky, saying nothing.

The Supreme Grandmaster's expression was blank, looking at the radiant galaxy overhead and the sea's reflection. Those familiar with him knew this was a sign of Tygris' bad mood.

He tried to pray to his Moon Goddess Lilith, asking her what he should do next, but the Goddess did not respond, and Tygris heard footsteps behind him.

"Lord Tygris, not resting yet?" A human voice sounded from behind Tygris.

"Aren't you spending time with your new wife in the cabin?"

"It's still early, Lord Tygris."

Tygris turned around, seeing Laine in a Count's formal dress, his black hair tossing in the sea breeze. The Divine Chosen Champion, fresh from his honeymoon, walked to Tygris' side.

A star-gazing session for one became two.

Unexpected yet reasonable, the Wood Elves received Tygris' arrival with deep vigilance and resistance. No matter what Tygris said, the King of the Forest couple responded with skepticism. Perhaps in the eyes of Eslelin, if the Asur weren't trying to drag them into the never-ending war with the dark elves, they wanted to subjugate the Wood Elves again under the Phoenix King.

The Eslelin would accept neither. To the Wood Elves, the forest was everything, and unless there were some irresistible factors, they would never abandon the forest.

Never.

Tygris was not Finuba; he wasn't like the current Phoenix King, charming with words and full of charisma. Nor was he Terion, with a handsomeness envied by deities and inherent, powerful charm. Finuba could successfully visit the King's Forest and renew friendship with the King of the Forest couple through his methods, establishing relations again between High and Wood Elves. Terion had the connection with the Eternal Queen, making communication with the Wood Elves simple.

Tygris couldn't, with his quiet and cold words, make the Wood Elves feel sincerity. His constant emphasis on the Moment of Destruction's arrival made his forest brethren scoff, "What do the outside world's lives have to do with us?"

The Wood Elves cared only for their forest.

Nevertheless, Olein and Airel displayed appropriate hospitality for Tygris, the King of the Forest couple listened in detail to Tygris' intents and used the Era Oak's power for divination.

The outcome of the divination was not to be disclosed publicly. Tygris knew that the King of the Forest couple must have divined something, but what use was that? Ultimately, they still refused Tygris' proposal for an alliance.

"Was there not even a little gain?" Laine anticipated the outcome. The Lake Fairy had already told him that Tygris would find it difficult to succeed.

"Not entirely, the Eslelin is not as ignorant about the outside world as we thought." Tygris shook his head, "Your friend, Estelle, you know of him as a mercenary traveling across the Continent, but actually…"

"Actually, he and many Half-Elves and Wood Elves like him roam various places as mercenaries on the Continent, under the King of the Forest couple's orders, in the name of travel, but actually out to observe external dynamics and gather intelligence." Laine added, knowing this already.

At the Wood Elf Observation Station within the Count Glamorgan, many Wood Elves were engaged repeatedly in intelligence work. The Wood Elves weren't foolish; their diplomatic policy of 'absolute isolation' didn't mean they were blindly ignorant of the world outside the forest. On the contrary, changes in the political situation and war status of the Human Realm and the Mountain Dwarf Kingdom were within their grasp.

The most typical case was the Brittania Kingdom. When the Knight Kingdom faced several crises in its millennium, whenever the knights were in dire straits and hard battles, the Wood Elf Army would automatically appear, aiding the knights in defeating external foes and then retreating into the forest once again.

If Brittania hadn't steadfastly defended its territory, the Wood Elves would hardly enjoy such prolonged peaceful living. The knights shielded the Wood Elves from most external threats.

"Indeed, I think my efforts still have some effect." Tygris looked at Laine, "After divination, Queen Airel and His Majesty Olein believe you are the one who can allow the Wood Elves to continue to enjoy a peaceful life. They've decided to award you the title of 'Friend of Eslelin'."

"Besides a title, a team of Rangers will leave the forest to follow your command from this point on."