Chapter 37: Knights Outside the Table
Before the Northern Frost Principality was conquered by the Kingdom, the predecessor of Broken Dragon Fortress was one of the barbarian royal cities in the north.

As the first Grand Duke of the Northern Frost surrendered to King William, this royal city was transformed into a fortress after years of transformation, stretching across the continuous Cold Wind Mountains.

The status of this place has changed from a former political center to a border barrier today.

The amazing thing is that the local population has not declined but has increased year by year.

Rhodes followed the two royal knights and walked through the Broken Dragon Fortress.

There are rows of stone and brick houses, busy streets and markets, and the sounds of hawking can be heard from several blocks away.

He could clearly feel the prosperity of the capital of the principality.

One of the reasons for this is that Broken Dragon Fortress itself has a superior geographical location.

To the east is an endless plateau grassland where herds of cattle and sheep are grazed, providing fur, meat and milk.

To the south is the river valley plain where the Manju River flows, with vast fertile fields and rich soil.

The second is that after the principality was incorporated into the kingdom, the Agate River adjacent to the Broken Dragon Fortress was opened up for shipping connecting the kingdom.

The fortress stopped the advance of the barbarian kings and greatly eased the military pressure on the kingdom's nobles.

Military spending everywhere was cut again and again, replaced by prosperous commercial trade.

After all, who can resist money?
Coupled with various unspeakable smuggling trades, rare treasures from the North flowed into the kingdom and were transformed into batches of food and weapons and transported to the fortress.

Thirty years later, due to natural reproduction, commercial immigration and tribal annexation, the population of Broken Dragon Fortress has reached a staggering 500,000, a population even comparable to that of the royal capital, Renaissance City.

Years of fighting with the barbarians have made the army here numerous and elite.

After arriving at the fortress, Rhodes finally understood why the Grand Duke dared to challenge the King.

King? All the old guys are dead. Now I have more troops than you. How dare you tell me what to do?

I just look down on you, I have military power, I am arrogant, and I am wild!
The change in attitude of the Grand Duke Beishuang is the beginning of the turmoil in the development of the northern border.

At the king's mandatory request, the Royal Development Order was issued nationwide.

There is important trade with Broken Dragon Fortress. The nobles who are used to making money without doing anything have to open their eyes and turn their attention here.

The Round Table Council was thus assembled.

As Rhodes arrived at the southwest area of ​​the fortress, the royal knight leading the way stopped.

A tall building with a semicircular arch structure appeared before him.

This church-like building covers a huge area. It is over 100 meters long, about 80 meters at its widest point, and has a total area of ​​nearly 10,000 square meters.

Rhodes looked up and saw that the height from the ground to the dome was more than ninety meters.

The inner walls of the dome are decorated with colorful mosaics and glass windows, and a golden cross sword stands on the top of the roof.

The first time you see it, you'll be overwhelmed by the sacred and solemn feeling.

"The Temple of the Round Table, this group of pioneering knights actually built it." Rhodes was a little emotional.

He recalled the pioneering legend of his grandfather William, the magnificent sacred temple and the glorious long table where heroes gathered.

However, Rhodes learned from his father, Duke Bert.

The actual Round Table Temple back then was just a stone house of less than 50 square meters, with a broken wooden table.

It's just propaganda and beautification. Do you really think that money comes from the wind? In the early days of development, the army had gaps everywhere and had no money to build any grand palace.

However, the one in front of us is very consistent with the shape in the legend.

Before the royal development order was issued, the king had already had countless communications with the nobles.

The construction of this temple started four years ago but was only officially completed a few months ago.

Everything inside and outside is brand new.

After the two royal knights brought him in, they said goodbye and left. Instead, a white-haired old man came out to greet him. He was dressed elegantly in a noble silk robe.

"Knight Rhodes, welcome to the temple and become an honorable knight in the Round Table Council."

The old man was Sinclair Lunn, the court knight who came from Renaissance City and was in charge of the temple.

At his request, Rhodes took a bath and cleaned his clothes. Several male servants changed him into a white military uniform and he entered the hall of the temple.

The hall's vaulted ceiling is covered with statues and frescoes, and a golden glow shines down from above, illuminating the eight-meter-long round table in the center.

Twelve red velvet benches were placed around the round table, and behind each bench was a striking coat of arms flag, indicating the identity of the owner of that seat.

Rhodes turned his gaze to the bench in the front.

Sure enough, I saw the griffin flag representing the royal family there. Against the background of the white shield, a strong griffin was roaring towards the sky.

In addition to the round table in the center, there are three long tables next to it, with exquisite wooden chairs placed behind them.

"The Round Table Council currently has twelve regular knights and seventy-two non-knights. Only pioneering knights who lead powerful knight orders and have made outstanding achievements are qualified to join and become a member of this place."

Sir Sinclair added a bench here.

"The parliament meets here every three months. There are still two months until the next one. Please don't miss it."

Rhodes nodded in understanding.

There are quite a number of pioneering knights coming to the North, including a large number of wandering knights whose families have fallen into decline.

Most of them probably died in the harsh snowy environment before they even had the chance to see the barbarians.

The real main force is still here.

From the Central Territory to the East China Sea Port, and then to the Great Plains, etc.

The twelve seats at the round table are the representatives sent by the twelve most powerful families in the kingdom today.

Their strength is not only reflected in their physical strength, but also in the fact that each of them monopolizes the supply of the fortress.

Controlled the material transportation of all pioneering knights.

The seventy-two non-knights cover a wider range, including descendants of great nobles and powerful wandering knights.

In short, if you want to join here, you must either be economically strong or be good at fighting.

With his achievement of killing the Wolf Chief's soldiers, Rhodes barely met the minimum standard of the Round Table Council and now became a non-Knight here.

Rhodes could understand that there were no direct subordinates of Duke Bert in the Round Table Council.

After all, the relationship between his family and Grand Duke Beishuang is too special.

In order to avoid unnecessary suspicion, it is better not to send anyone before the kingdom’s army officially sets out.

After understanding the center of the Round Table Council, leaving the hall and heading forward is the atrium garden with blooming flowers.

On the wooden bench below the statue of the Virgin Mary, several knights were divided into three distinct circles, chatting with each other.

Only members of the Round Table Council can enter here. There is no doubt that they are all Knights of the Round Table, representing a powerful pioneering knight order.

When Rhodes stepped in here, everyone just glanced at him at first.

The next second, everyone turned around and stared at his face with different expressions.

Rhodes's news had already reached their ears.

If he were still that ridiculous gardener knight, no one would care.

But once it changed, that special identity immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the Round Table Temple.

(End of this chapter)