The late June sun blazed like fire over the Highland, scorching this southern region.
Follow the scenic Tulip Avenue north until it intersects with Lion Heart Avenue. There, on a hill by Seluo Lakefront, stands the southern city, a towering presence upon the Highland.
—Kolon.
Inside the white marble castle, exquisite statues and magnificent fountains were everywhere. Gardens overflowing with golden tulips were, of course, a must.
After all, these eye-pleasing treasures, gleaming like gold, were the symbol of the castle's masters, the Iseley Clan.
Knight Hall.
On the walls to either side hung meticulously detailed murals, brought to vivid life by the light of bright, golden candles.
A series of floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls, offering a clear view of the scenery outside.
The golden, vaulted ceiling was so magnificent one dared not gaze upon it for long.
"CHING…"
A One-Handed Sword was gently laid upon his shoulder.
Levi forced himself to look away. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to climb up, pry a piece off, and bite it to see if it was real gold.
Kneeling on one knee, he focused on the lovely young woman before him, her expression solemn and her gaze dignified as she bestowed his knighthood.
"I, Leia Isely, granddaughter of Xilong Isely, in the name of the King of Thorns, Southern Guardian, and Duke of Kolon, do hereby dub Levi Targaryen a Pioneer Knight!
All Unclaimed Land is yours to pioneer. All Leaderless People are yours to protect. May the Three Gods of Justice grant you courage, honor, Power, justice, and loyalty…
You shall vanquish all your foes!"
"I, Levi Targaryen, swear before the Three Gods of Justice and in the name of the founding ancestor, Rek Oli, to pledge my loyalty to the great Duke Xilong. From this day forward, your will shall be my conviction, and the path of your sword shall be my own!
I shall defend this glory with the honor of the Oli Clan!"
Having recited the ceremonial words flawlessly, Leia looked at the tall, handsome young man before her with a smile. Her radiant smile seemed to make the entire Knight Hall shine a little brighter.
"Levi, welcome as a Pioneer Knight of the Iseley Clan."
"The honor is mine, Miss Leia."
Levi flashed what he believed to be his most dashing smile.
In his heart, however, he was puzzled.
'Logically, the one to knight me should have been the Duke himself—the man renowned for his military achievements in quelling the southern Lizardman uprising. So why is this "Highland Tulip," the Duke's granddaughter, conducting my knighting ceremony?
Could the rumors be true? Is the Duke's time running out? And does he really intend to pass his title to this "Highland Tulip," making her the Queen of this vast Highland?
Has he lost his mind?
Although the Duke's only son died in that uprising, his remaining daughters have all given birth to male heirs.
No matter how you line them up, the succession would never fall to the "Highland Tulip," who is a woman.'
Levi couldn't imagine the kind of turmoil the Highland would be thrown into if such a ridiculous order were actually carried out.
'But none of that has anything to do with me anymore. Now that I'm a Pioneer Lord, I'll be heading off to the Unclaimed Land soon enough.'
At this thought, his smile grew even brighter.
"Levi, are you sure you don't want to stay in the Highland and become a White-robed Iron Guard?" Leia asked, handing over the rolled-up Pioneer Order. The gorgeous Highland Tulip was making one last effort. "I'll speak with my grandfather and have you appointed as my exclusive White-robed Iron Guard, to fight for me."
"I'm sorry, Miss Leia. My family's motto is 'Brave and Enterprising.' Pioneering a new territory is what I'm meant to do."
Levi took the Pioneer Order, cradling it like a priceless treasure. He held it as gently as if it were a girlfriend he'd finally won in a past life after overcoming countless trials, terrified of damaging it in the slightest. He carefully tucked it into his pocket.
He knew exactly what Leia was implying.
'He'd used the title of a Desolate Baron to make a name for himself in the arenas for years, all for this. Wasn't the entire point to become a landed noble so he could thoroughly "critique" the rich and varied culture of this Otherworld? And now the woman before him wanted to tie him to her side with just a few words, making him give up the entire forest for a single tree. What a malicious thought!
Women are just stumbling blocks on the path to success. A Sigma male never falls into a woman's trap!
Besides, this girl's "stock" didn't seem to have very good prospects right now. Even if he were to place a bet, Levi wouldn't likely bet on her.'
Seeing the man's gaze, as unwavering as a man about to join the Church Court, Leia nodded, her face still holding an impeccable smile.
'This newly dubbed knight was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
He was one-point-eight meters tall, but his build wasn't bulky. Instead, he was slender and well-proportioned, with black hair and brown eyes. His handsome features were no less striking than an Elf's.
She'd heard he was the reigning champion of the Southern Arena for two and a half years, and that even those hideous swamp Lizardmen were no match for him.
This was also why she had wanted to recruit him as a White-robed Iron Guard. His Martial Arts were superb, more than enough for him to serve as her personal knight.
Not to mention, waking up every day and opening her door to see this handsome knight would certainly brighten her mood considerably.
She just couldn't understand why he would pass up the position of a White Robe Knight in Kolon to go pioneer the harsh Unclaimed Land.
He would rather face those ugly Half-Beastmen with their animal ears every day than be her personal knight.
For her, the granddaughter of Duke Xilong and the Tulip of the Highland, to set aside her station and make such an offer was already her limit. After his firm rejection, she wouldn't press the matter further. She had her pride.'