Chapter 91 I Want to Know the Truth
Holden left in embarrassment under everyone's mocking gazes. But when he walked over to the Dawn Knight Order members and told them to set up camp, the three knight commanders at the front just stood there with their arms crossed, not moving.
He roared angrily, "Are you all deaf? I said go set up camp now."
One of the knight commanders' expression remained unchanged. He just glanced coldly at Holden and Candy in his arms, a mocking smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "The king's order just said that from now on, the Dawn Knight Order is under Lord Friedel's command. We don't need to follow your arrangements."
Another knight commander also spoke coldly, "Making enemies right from the start, and daring to mock the experienced Lord Friedel as someone who only got his position through family background - truly stupid and pathetic. Your judgment is as small as your brain. You never bother to check the facts. Besides sleeping with women in the army, what else can you do?"
Holden was so provoked he could barely stand steady. He had only served five years while Friedel fought on the distant eastern battlefield. Since Duke Skoda's death, few knew about the eastern front - the knight commanders only learned of Friedel's reputation through their previous commander. But what about Holden?
He thought his position as knight commander came from earning enough military merit, but didn't he think about it - among those who fought alongside him, who didn't have military achievements? Why was he the only one who became a knight commander?
Wasn't it because he married into the Virlet family? The Ivy Knights commander was his wife's grandfather, who recommended him to the Dawn Knight Order.
And after getting the position, Holden still wasn't satisfied and showed no gratitude. He directly got involved with Candy, who was still a female soldier at the time, right on the battlefield. What qualifies someone like that to be a knight order commander?
They had long wanted to pull Holden down from that position!
Now they just happened to encounter an opportunity.
Although Holden was easily fooled, he occasionally had moments of clarity. He suddenly raised his head, "So you all knew Friedel wasn't some incompetent fool, but none of you told me!"
"You did this on purpose!"
The three knight commanders sneered, "So what if we did? Anyway, Lord Friedel hasn't dealt with you yet, but His Majesty's order has already stripped you of your command."
"Lord Holden, work hard to earn military merit. Who knows, on this eastern battlefield, you might meet a second Candy?"
A knight ran over from the Lion Knight Order's camp and saluted the knight commanders. "Lord Friedel sent me to notify you all. Please lead all members of the Dawn Knight Order to set up camp in the open area on the right side. Follow me."
Holden took a deep breath, glanced at Candy in his arms with a complicated expression, but ultimately said nothing and followed them.
After camp was set up, Holden sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at Candy who was still unconscious on the bed.
He felt his mind was in chaos - one moment it was the triumphant smiling faces of those knight commanders who had successfully schemed against him, the next it was Anne's ice-cold gaze, then he heard the king's order announcing he was handing over command of the Dawn Knight Order, followed by Friedel's disdainful eyes looking at him. Between the lines, those people were all saying he wasn't worthy.
Holden looked at Candy again, this woman he truly loved. He believed they had shared hardships together, fighting side by side on the battlefield. Even though he later discovered she wasn't as bright and beautiful as he initially thought - she was selfish, greedy, vicious, and would even throw dirt and slander other women out of jealousy - he was still willing to love this imperfect, even somewhat terrible Candy.
But now he was a bit tired.
Today, because of Candy's provocation, the two of them and their families had directly offended the Yadleys. They would probably face retaliation for a long time to come. Candy was too thoughtless, relying on his affection to act recklessly, especially regarding that battle from a year ago that people kept bringing up.
Now Holden was beginning to doubt what really happened when Candy said she "accidentally killed a few prisoners" in violation of the convention.
He wanted to know the truth from back then.
And Candy wasn't peaceful even in her unconscious state, her brows tightly furrowed.
In her dreams, first Anne and Holden were passionately entangled in bed, plotting to drive her away and remarry; then Anne was arm-in-arm with Friedel, planning to strip her and Holden of their military merit and expel them; finally it turned into Anne and her friends trampling on her, along with the Virlet estate guards cursing and trampling her together.
At last, Anne leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You don't know this, but Holden has always had me in his heart. You're just a tool for him to release his desires on the battlefield. Without you, there would be someone else."
Candy suddenly woke from her dream, her face covered in sweat. Holden was frowning, wiping her with a towel. Noticing Candy had opened her eyes, he couldn't help but ask, "Did you have a nightmare?"
"A nightmare?" Candy looked around in shock, and only after confirming this was inside the tent did she throw herself into Holden's arms.
Just now she had actually dreamed that Anne said Holden didn't love her - how could that be possible!
But remembering the situation before she passed out, Candy quickly raised her head and grabbed Holden's collar. "Darling, what happened after I fainted? Those people - did you deal with them?"
Holden opened his mouth, his voice hoarse. "Friedel punished them by making them each kill a hundred enemy soldiers on the battlefield."
Candy immediately became furious. "What kind of punishment is that? They humiliated you like that and even attacked me, a knight commander. I must kill them!"
"Now all authority on the eastern battlefield is concentrated in Friedel's hands. He made the decision, and I have no right to object."
Holden paused, lowering his head somewhat awkwardly. "And that woman you insulted - she's backed by the Yadleys."
Candy looked confused. "I think I've heard of them, but they're just nobles, right? When we drove Anne away before, she didn't threaten us either, did she?"
Holden felt despair. Candy's family had declined, so she didn't know the empire's top nobles. Anne's family was dead. But the Yadleys? They were extremely powerful across the entire Soth Empire, with wealth matching Anne's family. They could crush them like ants.
He briefly described the serious situation to Candy, and the color drained from her face as she muttered. "Why is it another noble using family power to threaten people? These women, one after another, just can't stand to see others doing well!"
Candy gritted her teeth. "What if someday the Yadleys also have terrible luck like the Virlet family and get wiped out? Let's see how smug she'll be then!"