In the parade ground, three hundred new recruits stood in neat rows.
From approximately three thousand men, the best three hundred were selected, and both the Mountain and Lord Gavin were very satisfied with the overall quality of the team.
Three teams stood before the Demon Mountain.
In the center is a contingent of 300 new recruits, to the left is a contingent of 104 Clegane cavalry, and to the right is a contingent of 180 garrison and guards from Cliffrock.
The total number of soldiers was 584. Centurions, generals, and knights were in separate ranks.
The Mountain said, "Chiswick, the temporary cavalry captain of Clegane, step forward."
Chiswick stepped forward. He had an unusually large head, a horrifying scar on his forehead, a fierce appearance, and piercing eyes.
Kneel down!
Chiswick knelt down on one knee, head held high, staring at Lord Mountain.
He still didn't know what had happened.
The Mountain drew his greatsword with a swift motion. The sword, two meters long, as long as a javelin, twice the width of a two-handed sword, and weighing several tens of kilograms, was unsheathed. The Mountain wielded the sword with one hand, effortlessly.
"Father, please ask Maester Assa for a favor!" said the Mountain.
Then Maester Assa stepped out from beside Earl Gavin.
"Chiswick, you led your seventeen brothers with me to sweep through twenty castles in one night, capturing twenty-seven knights as prisoners, and helping the Westerling family reclaim their lost lands. You have rendered a great service, and I now knight you. Please follow Maester Assaev in swearing your knightly oath."
"…Yes…Lord Gregor." Chiswick was overjoyed and stammered a little.
So, led by Maester Assa, Chiswick shouted out the knight's long oath.
Among the more than 500 soldiers, countless people envied Chiswick for having the status of a knight. From then on, he was no longer a commoner, but entered the noble class that ordinary people dreamed of.
The Mountain's greatsword rested on Chiswick's shoulder, and he proclaimed in a high-pitched, almost singing voice, "Chiswick, today, in the city of Cliffrock, the stronghold of the Westerling family, before dozens of knights and nobles, and witnessed by over five hundred soldiers, I, Gregor Clegane, hereby knight you and bestow upon you the surname Clegane. From this day forward, you are Knight Chiswick Clegane."
Chiswick was so excited he was trembling all over!
A street thug, who fought tooth and nail for a living since childhood, was still looked down upon by nobles and deeply despised by knights even after forming a mercenary group and becoming its leader. But—today is different. He has bid farewell to his former self. He is no longer a commoner. In front of dozens of knights and nobles, and led by maesters, he loudly swore the knightly oath and became a glorious knight.
Knighthood can only be bestowed, not inherited.
Only the most outstanding, courageous, and virtuous individuals have the opportunity to be knighted.
This is an affirmation of warriors. A glory worth sacrificing one's life to uphold.
"Rise, Sir Chiswick Clegane. From this moment on, you are a member of the Clegane family. You are my family and my brother. No matter how cold the winter, there will always be a place for you by my fireplace; no matter how dry the summer, there will always be a drink for you by my well."
Chiswick stood up, his face radiant, his eyes bright and sparkling with excitement.
"Lord Gregor, I am grateful that you have made me a member of the Clegane family. Chiswick swears to follow you to the death, and it will never change. It would be my honor to give my life for you if necessary."
A knight's honor bound Chiswick to loyalty for life!
"Good, embrace your brothers!" said the Mountain, "Sir Rapht Clegane."
Sweet-talking Ralph stepped forward and gave Chiswick a tight hug.
"Knight Dunson Clegane".
Dunsen stepped forward and punched Chiswick in the shoulder with a loud thud. Chiswick returned the punch, and the two of them grabbed each other's hands with a thud, pulling hard and slamming their shoulders together.
"Sir Polliver Clegane".
Polliver stepped forward, his right cheek twitching, a nervous smile playing on his lips. Chiswick, much shorter than him, reached out and tapped Chiswick's large head, making Chiswick's brothers hold their breath. Chiswick glared at Polliver, and slowly a smile bloomed on his face, like the petals of a flower unfolding.
He wasn't angry at all; in fact, he was extremely happy.
Polliver laughed and lifted Chiswick up, saying, "Brother, congratulations on becoming a member of the Clegane family. You are now qualified to wear the Clegane Hound's sigil."
"Julie Clegane!"
Julie Clegane came out: "Uncle, congratulations on becoming a member of the Clegane family."
Chiswick opened his mouth wide, paused, and said with a hint of shame, "Julie, Uncle didn't know that Lord Gregor would be knighting me today. I didn't prepare any gift for the only daughter of our Clegane family."
"Uncle, if anyone bullies a daughter of the Clegane family in the future, I hope you can help me. This is the gift I want most."
"Uncle will definitely kill him for you!" Chiswick said, drawing his dagger and slashing his palm, drawing blood. "I swear on my blood that if Julie, the daughter of the Clegane family, is bullied, I will avenge her. Those who speak frivolously will be beaten severely, and those who speak ill of her will be beheaded."
"Good!" the seventeen bandit leaders of Chiswick shouted in unison.
Scholar Assa tried to be patient, but these people were too thuggish and uncultured, and he really couldn't stand them.
Julie Clegane threw herself into Chiswick's arms and kissed him on the head, making Chiswick's gang leaders burst into laughter.
With this, House Clegane of the Mountain gained another member. Their knights now numbered four: Sweet-Talking Ralph, Executioner Dunson, Neurotic Pollifer, and Ironhead Chiswick.
The Mountain also plans to promote six people to knighthood based on their merits: Notebook Mark; Weapon Master Tob Mort; Blacksmith Apprentice Gendry; Loyal and Courageous Young Man; Leonard Westerling, Heir to the Rock; and his adopted daughter Julie Clegane.
The Mountain called Chiswick and Julie back to the ranks, saying, "Sir Chiswick."
"Yes, Lord Gregor." Unconsciously, Chiswick had changed some of his wild and unruly nature. Since arriving in Rocky City, he no longer called the Mountain by his name, but instead addressed him as Lord Gregor.
The night battle that lasted over two hundred miles, during which he captured twenty-seven knights—a feat that brought him fame and glory—was something no one but Lord The Mountain could have led Cheswick to achieve. His arrogance and rough-and-tumble spirit were completely erased before the Mountain. Respect and admiration arose spontaneously.
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Compared to the Magic Mountain, Chiswick considered himself a hill on flat land, while the Magic Mountain was a peak among towering mountains.
"Tomorrow morning, you leave your foul mouth behind and lead your sixteen brothers back to Lannisport to form a mercenary group of a thousand men."
"Yes, Lord Gregor!"
"Find your old men, those brothers who were pirates at sea, and recruit them. If they are willing to join the Lannisport Navy, let them join; if they are not willing, incorporate them."
"Yes, Lord Gregor."
"Knight Ralph, Knight Dunsen."
"Yes, Lord Gregor."
"Tomorrow morning, you will lead the Clegane cavalry from Cliffrock. I will give you the military order that Duke Tywin wrote to me. You will recruit soldiers from the dungeons of the nobles in the Westerlands. Our Clegane cavalry is still 414 men short of Duke Tywin's requirements. You have one month to return to the Clegane territory with a cavalry force of no less than 500 men. You will receive seven new cavalrymen from the dungeon of Cliffrock. Take more horses with you on the road. As the number of soldiers increases along the way, borrow some horses from other nobles."
"Yes, Lord Gregor."
"Do not recruit soldiers from the Marbran family of Brand City. When passing through Marbran territory, do not linger. Be extra careful and remember not to provoke trouble."
"Yes, Lord Gregor!"
"Captain Leonard Westerling."
"Yes, Sir Gregor."
"Starting tomorrow, Stinky Mouth will be your second-in-command. You will select the best soldiers and centurions from your family and set up camp on the eastern border. I will train you specifically to be the best scout captain in Cliff Rock City. You and your soldiers and centurions must all be excellent archers."
"Yes, sir!"
"Sir Rolf Spicer!"
"Yes, Lord Gregor."
"Starting tomorrow, you and Polliver Clegane will train three hundred new recruits. I want every single one of them to be an elite soldier; I will not allow a single coward to appear!"
"Ho!" Knight Rofort roared.
...
The more Lord Gavin, who was standing beside the Mountain, watched and listened, the more pleased and gratified he became. The Mountain was a master of military affairs, truly worthy of being the senior commander of Tywin Lannister's 500 Royal Guards.
In the main castle corridor, Lady Hibel and her daughter Jenny watched from afar, listening to the Mountain's imposing commands. The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with knowing joy.
"Jenny, when I learned that Duke Tywin had betrothed you to the devil—Sir Gregor, I cried all night," Lady Heber sighed.
"I cried more than once a night," Jenny said with a beautiful smile, her face radiant with the glow of a newlywed woman.