Cold Wind City is located in the northernmost part of Demacia's border, and is also the largest city in the north. It has a relatively independent noble system. Generally speaking, only when the New Year comes, people will be sent to the capital to meet the royal family and pay homage to the royal family.

The king offered his blessing.

The city has a dangerous terrain, with two peaks on the left and right facing each other, giving it a unique strategic location.

As long as it does not fall, the tribes of Freljord will not be able to move south with peace of mind. According to historical records, Coldwind City has been lost twice, both of which were bloody wars that are very colorful in history.

When the cold wave hit decades ago, this city was the only one in the entire northern defense line that defended the city until spring. However, because there were only 5,000 soldiers guarding the city at that time, it was very difficult to even hold on, let alone rush to help others.

That war left an indelible impression on the northern nobility, and it was precisely because of this that Walsh specifically requested support.

When Chai Anping and Lux ​​arrived at Cold Wind City, it was already two days later. The large force of Fearless Vanguard still chose to remain mobile, with only a small group of personal guards escorting them into the city.

The city wall of Hanfeng City is made of some kind of black hard rock. Chai Anping visually estimated that the height of this thick wall is at least fifty meters!

This is an astonishing height. Generally speaking, a city wall about twenty meters high can be considered a high pass. He has never seen such a high city wall in Demacia. I'm afraid those ladders used for sieges are not enough.

To someone's knees?

The dark city wall is covered with frost that never melts all year round, but only white is visible on the top.

On the towering white tower, the flags are frozen.

The heads of heavily armed soldiers poked out of the windows on all sides.

Cold Wind City adopts a suspension bridge door design. Behind the dug trench, in addition to the suspension door, there is also a heavy iron door with ferocious and sharp hooks all over the door.

Under this majestic high wall, the city gate seemed much smaller. At this time, the suspension bridge was lowered to keep it open, and there were many caravans coming and going.

Chai Anping noticed that the guards at the city gate had always maintained a high degree of vigilance and were very strict in interrogating pedestrians. Even if they were escorted by the Fearless Pioneer Battalion, their customs clearance certificates were also checked.

"It stands to reason that Archduke Walsh had already known about our arrival in advance, so he didn't send anyone out to greet us?"

Chai Anping didn't understand the rules among nobles.

He held the horse and looked at Lux aside.

"Brother probably wants us to enter the city in a low profile. The situation during the war is not as good as usual, and the Noxians may take the opportunity to cause damage."

Lux thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I want to use you as a secret weapon!"

"Really?"

Chai Anping said happily: "It seems that I am really powerful."

Lux curled her lips and ignored him.

After successfully entering the Cold Wind City, a young knight wearing noble clothing approached quickly, with two armored retinues behind him.

There was a pair of golden emblems of wings and a shield on his left shoulder. Lux immediately reminded: "That is Macmillan's family emblem."

Chai Anping understood? Macmillan is the Walsh family? It is the most brilliant family in the North, not inferior to the Crown Guards.

The history of Macmillan's fortune is a microcosm of the wars in the North. They are the real pillars of the kingdom.

"Do you know that person?" Chai Anping then asked in a low voice.

"...Does it look familiar? Maybe I went to the capital to meet His Majesty before."

--look familiar.

That's because it's unfamiliar.

Chai Anping grinned.

"Macmillan's family motto has always promoted family prosperity, so even if many people died in the battlefield, in fact, their fertility was even stronger."

Lux explained in a low voice: "This is a big noble with countless branches? Even the capital city even made fun of Macmillan's population for a while, claiming that when you enter the inner city of Coldwind City, you will meet someone and call him 'Macmillan'."

Wrong? So it’s normal that I don’t recognize him!”

This is why most people basically only mention his first name when they mention "Walsh", rather than using his last name to represent him.

"So that's it."

Chai Anping nodded. Doesn't that also mean that the young people who can go to the capital to meet the third generation are the best among them?

While the two were talking, the three people riding horses from the opposite side had already arrived in front of them.

The young man dismounted with vigorous movements. His boots made a "crunching" sound on the snow.

"Dear Earl Shelley? And Miss Crownguard! Welcome you!"

"I am Isaac Macmillan, a member of the Macmillan family! Today I am responsible for welcoming you two!"

The young man had a respectful expression and an endearing youthful air between his eyebrows? Chai Anping's first impression of him was not bad.

"Thank you." He nodded slightly.

"Please mount your horse and come with me to the castle."

Riding horses without reason is strictly prohibited in Hanfeng City, but nobles are not exempt from this.

With people from the Macmillan family leading the way, Chai Anping wouldn't have to worry about being stopped while riding his horse. So he asked the people from the Fearless Pioneers to follow him on horseback and enter the inner city.

The main buildings in Cold Wind City are all stone houses made of gray rocks. The tallest one seems to be only about two or three stories high. This makes the castle in the center of the inner city look extremely tall.

Chai Anping noticed that most of the nobles who lived far away from the capital actually lived in castles, unlike the capital which only had vast estates.

"Perhaps it's because only one castle is allowed in the capital?"

He secretly thought that this kind of building is both offensive and defensive. For the safety of the royal family, it is not strange to prohibit nobles from building castles in the capital.

There are no such rules in Cold Wind City. You can still see some low castles in the distance, but they are far inferior to that behemoth.

Looking at the huge castle, Chai Anping suddenly had a clearer understanding of Macmillan's fertility.

The young knight Isaac Macmillan was quite talkative. He rode beside Chai Anping and talked about the unique customs and customs of Hanfeng City. He even had some places worth visiting for couples, which seemed quite thoughtful.

This made Chai Anping very disappointed.

When he saw Isaac MacMillan, he made up many settings similar to Lux's secret admirer in his mind, but he didn't expect that none of them were used.

What about the pretense and slap-in-the-face part you promised?

He learned from Isaac's mouth that the name of the castle was "Micarus", which was the name of a star that symbolized the north. After several expansions, even he did not know what the entire castle was like.

There are so many rooms, but the Macmillan family gathering every year cannot fill the entire castle.

Perhaps only those servants who have served Macmillan for generations know these little secrets that no one cares about.

Although the whole castle itself is very bloated, in fact the interior is clearly divided, and people with different statuses have different residences.

After entering the castle, someone led the people from the Fearless Pioneer Battalion to leave first, and the horses ridden by Chai Anping and others were led by servants to the stables to rest and feed.

Isaac MacMillan brought Chai Anping and Lux ​​all the way into the core area.

"You two have been tired from traveling, so you should have had a good rest first, but Marshal Walsh has ordered Earl Shelley to take you there as soon as you arrive..."

He smiled apologetically: "Please don't blame Macmillan for his lack of etiquette."

"It doesn't matter! I'm also looking forward to meeting the Grand Duke who guards the north!"

Chai Anping waved his hand. He didn't know what the relationship was between Isaac Macmillan and Walsh, but since they were both from the same family, they probably weren't that far apart.

"this way please!"

Isaac Macmillan led them to a study: "The marshal is in there."

Chai Anping nodded happily. They didn't rush to Castle Micarus very quickly, so Walsh must have received the news.

“Tuk-tuk!”

Isaac Macmillan knocked on the door.

After the faint voice of "come in" came from behind the door, information about the Grand Duke flashed through Chai Anping's mind.

Among the aristocratic princes who have guarded the north in the past, Walsh is also a very special one. Ever since he inherited the title, he has been taking a proactive offensive posture. Except for shrinking defense in winter, he has been trying to expel the enemies around the border the rest of the time.

Freljord Tribe.

This made his garrison resume full of blood. It is said that the reason for his transformation was the "severe cold winter" of that year. However, it is a pity that the truth about the Cold Wind City at that time has long been lost in the ice and snow.

Very few people know the truth.

"Walsh inherited the title after the war, which means that the original Archduke Macmillan died in the cold winter of that year."

When the door opened, Chai Anping immediately looked at the man sitting at the desk.

What was somewhat beyond his expectation was that the man seemed a little too old.

He became the Grand Duke when he was young. Thirty years have passed now. Judging from his age, he should indeed be old. Walsh has short gray hair and obvious wrinkles on his face. Only the aura of wisdom in his eyes

It shows his extraordinaryness.

Although it did not match the image of the Iron-Blooded Duke in Chai Anping's heart, he quickly withdrew his gaze.

Walsh is like an old alpha wolf. Although his body has become rickety, time has also made him more cunning.

He was wearing a brown beast skin coat. After seeing Chai Anping and Lux, he stood up with a smile and enthusiastically stepped forward to give the two juniors a hug.

"Earl Shelley, I have admired your name for a long time."

He laughed and said: "Your legend has spread even north of Cold Wind City. Those bards like to tell your stories recently."
To be continued...