Knights referred to trueborns who pledged their loyalty to a sovereign and received a blessing in return. Their power was the same as rooks, but instead of acting as army commanders, they often fought at the forefront.
These native heroes were cheaper and disposable compared to the summoned heroes. Unfortunately a sovereign could only have as many knights as rooks they had, for a maximum of nine knights and nine rooks.
Violet detailed her plan to protect Holloweye.
"The enemy rescue team might be led by a hero, so we have to match them. It just happens that I have two available positions for knights. They will be in charge of stopping them from investigating our territory."
The pirate heroes would threaten the Tower's scouts and act as a decoy to hide the presence of Dungeon.
“Is this going to be enough?” Elianade asked, still concerned.
“Tower people are all lazy grandpas who never leave their mountain peaks. They won’t push through the fog of war if you keep ambushing their armies in guerilla warfare inside the forest.” Violet was certain that her short term plan could secure enough time to develop her base into an impregnable underground network.
“I see, it all makes sense!” The pirates easily convinced themselves. “They had us in the first half.”
Just moments before, the group of humans and elves felt like they were ‘left behind’ by their captain, doomed by the bleak picture that Violet had painted. But she let them in her secret plan to survive by knighting them. They felt like they became the real winners, the chosen ones that Violet fully embraced, while their former crewmates would have to face the unknown jungle to return to the fleet.
“Of course, you should keep that a secret from the others.” Violet winked, binding them with a feeling of complicity. With this, her new recruits had a skyhigh morale that would maintain their effectiveness even when they would suffer the inevitable losses that came with fighting powerful spellcasters.
The people cheered as her offer to become a hero felt more and more real, and not just wishful auditory hallucinations. But their most important question was left unanswered. "So… who will be knighted?"
It was common sense for the sovereigns to prioritize fellow humans. Factions gathered species that lived in common biomes, but except the elves who could have children with anything, everyone was pretty much xenophobic and fought for supremacy.
Humans didn't have any exceptional features to compete with other humanoid specialized races. Their only saving grace was the blessings that inevitably put them in the ranks of nobility.
On paper, the sovereign gave blessings to the human population to dominate other species, and received political support in return.
Violet pondered. "Hmm… since we have two seats, how about a male and a female human? Slade, choose the most loyal and devoted ones. I'll build the facilities to form contracts with heroes tomorrow, so you have a day to choose."
The crowd of humans immediately swarmed Slade's merfolk pawn to sell their strengths.
Violet made her way out. "Let's return to the throne… Oh, what can I do for you, mermaid?"
Elianad straightened herself. She hadn't heard of any healer who could save a severed head before, but if anyone could do it, that would be Slade. "I beg you, please help my friend. Only lord Slade can save her. In exchange, I give you my life!"
"I heard about you. I'll take your friend to the throne room where Slade stores most of his cores. Go help him choose a suitable hero."
Violet carrying the limp mermaid was a strange sight, but she had to do it herself because the patient needed life support from the slime unit that she wore.
“Guys, come here.” Slade and Elianad herded the male knight candidates in a more secluded place to carry out his selection in secret. Fortunately, there were a lot of unused tunnels and rooms in their underground town.
In the meantime, the rest of the audience followed Violet and Lorely back to the palace. The women would get interviewed for the knight position, while the strengths of the pawns and the sea elves would be assessed in more detail.
