Act 203: Dawn of Fire IV

The Dibo River shines with sparkling waves in the setting sun. At this time, the sunset floating on the river will shine into the windows, dyeing the hotel lobby crimson. Through the window lattice, you can see the imperial capital standing on the horizon, a majestic shadow. The towers and city walls leave a thick slanting shadow in the setting sun.

Seti finished wiping the last table, straightened up and wiped the sweat with the back of her hand. She looked in the direction of the door with some surprise - the light at the door dimmed, and several travelers in cloaks walked in - they were guests. She was slightly surprised that there were actually guests at this time of year. Since the war in Metz, there have been fewer merchants on the road. The business in the hotel has become lighter day by day, and the owner of the hotel is planning to close temporarily.

The first person to walk in was a foreigner. He had long, dark brown hair that was rare in the empire. He had a slightly handsome face. Although he could not be said to be love at first sight, at least he had regular and handsome features and a pair of brown eyes with a divine light inside. There is a deep warmth in his expression, which makes people feel warm at first glance.

Behind him, the taller one seemed to be his companion. He looked more handsome and wore a hood - although he took it off as soon as he entered the room, revealing slightly curly short ears. He looked around , with a deep cynicism in his eyes.

Behind them were several girls. Seti couldn't help but feel very strange that there were so many women on the road at this time of year. She couldn't help but suspect that they were a group of slave traders. However, she soon realized that she was different. These girls were obviously not simple. Some of them made her dare not look at them just by looking at them. She had only seen this kind of aggressive temperament in the real big shots in the city. How could it be a female slave?

"What a strange caravan." At this time, Seti had already noticed the caravan parked outside the hotel. Only traveling merchants would use such carriages when traveling to and from the Banker area.

Naturally, it was Brando and his party who walked into the hotel at this moment.

Thank God. The classic caravan bought from Eleven Leaf Town finally arrived safely at its destination before it fell apart - this hotel with the words 'Cat and Whiskers' written on the sign.

This old building that has returned to style with a strong brilliance is located on the bank of the Holy Mercury Bridge, only ten miles away from Rusta. It looks unremarkable from the outside. It's just a little too shabby - the paint on the sign and door is peeling off badly, and there are many repairs on the roof. But what's more, the windows are bright and clean. There are several pots of ivy placed on the windowsill on one side of the door, with branches and leaves spreading, and they are well taken care of by their owners.

The business of the hotel seems to be very deserted, probably because the location is too remote. Delphine mentioned that this is the farthest hotel outside the east gate of Rushta. Only some merchants with little money will stay here temporarily.

But that's exactly why they chose this place.

Remoteness means safety——

The maid in this hotel is actually a mountain man.

Brando couldn't help but be a little surprised when he noticed that the girl's long hair was as red as fire under the sunset. However, when the group was going upstairs, Charles turned back and said with a smile: "It seems that the little girl is suspicious, so just like Ms. Sidney commented - our disguise is not very good."

Brando came back to his senses and replied: "This was something that was expected."

"I thought your lord would be troubled by this."

"I won't worry about the lack of things, I just don't want to do useless work."

"What is 'useless effort'?" Ciel sighed: "I haven't heard 'new words' coming out of your mouth, Lord Lord, for a while."

Brando clapped his mouth in frustration: "It's just meaningless."

At this time, Roman, who was walking in front, noticed the conversation between the two. Of course, in fact, she had been eavesdropping with her ears pricked up. As for the previous incident of being sulky with Brando in the carriage, she had long forgotten it. When she heard this sentence, she couldn't help but deliberately took a step behind, widened her eyes and asked:

"But how could it be meaningless? Her Majesty the Queen caught us. Will she hang us on the gallows? I heard that nobles treat their prisoners this way, so to speak. Should we disguise ourselves? What?"

"Because it's useless." Delphine, who was walking aside, replied.

Since she started taking the Fountain of Youth, the scars on her face have faded a lot over the past few days. At least they no longer look so hideous. Some places have even begun to shed their skin, revealing new skin that is smooth and as smooth as mutton fat underneath. .

The most important thing is that you no longer need to rely on a wheelchair when moving. Although it is still a bit inconvenient, at least you can move freely like a normal person.

"Useless?"

Brando nodded: "When we were on the road before, did the patrolling knights pass by us and didn't stop to check on us?"

"Isn't this a good thing?"

"The key lies in the frequency. We met too many patrolling knights along the way. As far as I know, on weekdays, such knights only conduct a routine patrol along the periphery of the imperial capital in the early morning and evening. This shows that Her Majesty the Queen The security around the Imperial Capital has been strengthened. However, they have not been ordered to conduct interrogations on the floating population entering Rushta."

"is that so?"

"Yes," Delphine nodded. However, he glanced at Brando with some surprise, probably because he didn't expect the latter to be so familiar with this place. You must know that many locals born and raised in Rushta may not know how the security force outside the imperial capital operates.

Charles smiled, obviously already knowing the answer to this question: "This shows that the hospitable Her Majesty the Queen implements the prevention method of loosening outside and tightening inside. It seems that she is very confident in her tentacles, and is afraid that we will not enter the city. That’s all.”

"In other words, as long as we enter the city, she can find us?"

Brando nodded: "Now it seems that at least the Silver Queen thinks so."

The businesswoman analyzed her gains and couldn't help but frown: "In that case, Brando, should we split up?"

"Um?"

"That is to say, let me take Brynhild and the others into the city to attract the attention of Her Majesty the Queen. You and Mr. Mephistopheles will find a way to sneak into the city to save Akane——"

Brando couldn't help but feel angry and funny after hearing this, and patted her smooth forehead: "What are you thinking? The matter hasn't reached that serious level yet. I don't think the Silver Queen will be in trouble so early."

Roman quickly covered his forehead and backed away. While asking: "Why?"

"I don't know why," Brando also shook his head and replied softly: "But I have a hunch. The Silver Queen is waiting for us to enter the city -"

…

After the sunset sank below the horizon, night truly enveloped the city of Rushta. Dots of lights floated in the darkness, like stars falling from the sky on the distant horizon. Farther away, a flash of light flashed across the dark sky from time to time. Only people living in Rushta knew that it was actually Nazer. Human ornithopter.

Since Rushta is extremely far from the border of the Nazers, both sides stationed a large number of troops on the eastern border, even under night. There are still groups of Pegasus knights and magical ornithopters in the sky patrolling and investigating in the crisscrossed airspace.

Faina stood by the window and stared at the river flowing quietly under the moonlight. She couldn't help but recall what it was like the last time she came to the imperial capital. However, as time passed, she also fell from a position that was admired by everyone, let alone maintaining it. In the halo of the past, even his father and brother were imprisoned in the belly of this formidable 'behemoth' in front of him.

But for some reason, she felt peaceful in her heart at this moment.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The other people in the room turned their heads, just in time to see Medisa, wearing a military uniform, pushing open the door and ducking in.

She closed the door behind her back. He breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Brando and said, "Lord."

"Medisha, how are you?" Brando nodded to her. He asked the other party to go out to inquire about information before, but now he looks like he has gained something.

As expected, Medissa replied: "Fortunately, it's not too much trouble. I asked clearly, Lord, the engagement ceremony will be held in half a month, and then there will be a banquet in the White Rose Garden of Saint-Contibe Palace. , celebrations will also be held in the city, in fact Rushta had already started preparing for this celebration a week ago."

Brando couldn't help but snorted coldly. It was obvious that what the Cruz people did to Akane made him very disdainful: "It seems that the Silver Queen wants to use this to dilute the panic atmosphere in the imperial capital. But I don't think the effect will be too great, and she also I don’t want to think about what I did before.”

"It's just to eliminate dissidents." Delphine replied calmly.

The prime minister's daughter's words made Medissa couldn't help but glance at her. She frowned slightly before continuing to report: "The Countess of Wallach—I mean Qian. It is said that she has been living in a castle outside Rushta, but I went to see that place. Empty.”

"Is it fake news, or has it been transferred?" Brando asked.

"It must have been transferred, Lord. I was worried that the Silver Queen had left an informant nearby, so I didn't dare to stay too long. However, I later inquired elsewhere and found that a castle had indeed been occupied by someone before. A big shot, but he moved out a few weeks ago."

"This shows that the Silver Queen has indeed anticipated our arrival, otherwise there is no need for her to take the extra step." Delphine was indifferent to Medisa's gaze and analyzed in a light voice.

Brando did not answer, but he had no objection in his heart. In fact, he had already expected this. Antitina's analysis before this was the same.

"What about the others?" he asked again.

Medisa turned her head: "Miss Delphine, your father and grandfather are imprisoned in Moss Castle, as are the commander of the Blue Legion and the Grand Duke of Flower Leaf. But as far as I know, the top leaders of the temple are not imprisoned in that place. Not many people know the whereabouts of the Great Holy Seat. Many people don’t seem to know what happened in the temple that day, and they don’t know that the Temple of Flame has been split into two at this moment.”

Hearing these words, Sidney, the saint statue of the Lion Palace sitting on the edge of the bed, frowned slightly, while Faina showed an eager look: "Medissa, I..."

"The Mosque Castle is not a special prison," Delphine interrupted her: "It is a villa of the royal family, so they are just under house arrest. After all, my father, grandfather, and Grand Duke Huaye did not come forward. Stand out against the Silver Queen."

"Why will they be arrested?" The business lady was counting the expenses of the past few days. When she heard this sentence, she couldn't help but raise her head and asked strangely.

"Because they didn't make a statement at the first time, the Silver Queen has to do a lot this time. For the sake of insurance, she will suppress all unstable factors to a minimum in advance."

"Miss Delphine," Medissa heard her say. The look of dissatisfaction on her face couldn't help but become more obvious: "According to what you said, I don't see any reason for you to choose Lord Lord. What the Silver Queen needs is the attitude of the Nidwin family. And it is the Nidwin family that you represent. attitude, I don’t know what your intentions are. But if you dare to hurt the lord at all——"

The Silver Elf Princess pursed her lips and did not finish her words, but looking at her cold eyes, Delphine also knew what the second half of the sentence would be.

Brando was also slightly startled, and couldn't help but glance at Medisa with some surprise. He knew that Medisa had never really accepted the prime minister's daughter, but it was the first time that she had expressed her attitude so clearly.

Delphine smiled. She only raised her head and glanced at Brando with her light purple eyes, but did not answer.

"Miss Delphine..." Brando couldn't help but say.

"Your Majesty, the Count, can't trust me either?"

"But you do have more choices, don't you?" Charles finally intervened, and he chose to side with Medisa.

Delphine couldn't help but shook his head slightly.

Brando sighed: "It's because of the Ivy Change, right?"

The prime minister's daughter turned back with a look of 'you really know' on her face. She hesitated for a moment before gently nodding: "But that's just one of them. My grandfather never supported the late emperor's passing the throne to Queen Silver, so your majesty just The purpose of supporting the Palute family is to check the power of the prime minister. They have used this method once when the royal family and the temple were fighting, but this time they did not use it as well as the last time."

"The Ivy Change," was something no one expected. Morpheus, who had been silent at this time, suddenly spoke: "Do you mean that thing?"

All eyes were on him.

"...I, I just happen to understand."

"Medphis, are you not Madara's undead?" Brando then realized that he knew very little about the vampire siblings. He knew that Medissa, Charles, Huque, and Fuluo Yi Regarding the past of the mercenaries, even Hipamilla would occasionally mention some of her experiences while practicing in the Earth Temple, but Morpheus and Andrrig had always remained silent about their origins.

Before that, he had always thought that before they became card creatures, they were just ordinary dark nobles from Madara, or had a little background, but when he heard Morpheus's words. He then realized that he had thought wrong.

Morpheus is not the undead of Madara, he was most likely born in Metz. Otherwise it would be impossible to understand what happened that year.

Facing his gaze, Morpheus nodded: "Lord, you are right, my sister and I are not dark nobles from Madara. We were Cruz people during our lives, and Metz is our hometown. .”

Brando understood: "So it was no accident that I summoned you from the tomb that day?"

"I don't know much about the rules of destiny cards, but maybe that's how it should be."

"I understand," Brando replied: "Since you were once Metz people, you should have been witnesses to that incident?"

"I'm not exactly an eyewitness, but sister Andrique and I did go through that dark history. I only remember that my relatives - family members and friends were all killed in that turmoil, even myself. That period of history was even crueler than what was recorded, and the experience you have seen of Sir Rorison is just the tip of the iceberg."

Morpheus smiled indifferently: "I really don't want to recall too much about that period of history. If the lord hadn't happened to mention this incident, I wouldn't even want to mention it."

"I'm sorry." Brando didn't expect that he would unintentionally expose the scar, and couldn't help but apologize.

"It doesn't matter, Lord, time will always smooth out all scars." Morpheus smiled: "It was after the Holy War, and the Temple of Fire was facing a general decline in faith and confusion. The undead The cultists took advantage of the situation and made waves within the empire. That was the period when the Temple of Fire was most seriously infiltrated by the Union of All Things, and even today many historical issues have been left behind. I remember that during the most chaotic period During those days, East Metz and Mehotofen, which are close to Argen, were the brunt of the attack. At that time, several dukes were even bewitched——"

"I, I have heard about this," Faina suddenly said: "I heard my wet nurse talk about the scene at that time. It is said that many people died at that time. Countless people were crucified on crosses every day. , there were also assassinations and conspiracies among the nobles. It was the darkest period in the Metz region. The countryside was the territory of witches and heretics, who would twitch people and skin them. They used the harshest methods to torture those in the temple. Priests and believers.”

"It's the same in the city. Every day, witches are picked out and burned at the stake. Similar scenes happen all the time." Medphes couldn't help but frown as he recalled the scene at that time.

"I didn't expect such a thing to happen in the empire," Ciel was a little surprised. Although he had heard about the turmoil, he couldn't imagine that the situation was so serious without having experienced it himself: "What happened next?"

"Then it became the so-called Ivy Rebellion. The chaotic situation in East Metz evolved into a real turmoil. During the turmoil, several famous nobles died, several of whom had fought alongside Niedwin. "Comrade-in-arms and close friend," Sidney spoke at this time. As a person involved in the temple, she can be said to be the one who knows what happened at that time best among all the people present: "In anger, the old prime minister was ordered by the Silver Queen, He led his army into East Metz and put down the rebellion in one fell swoop, and even captured two of the twelve shepherds of the tree herders."

"Two?" Brando noticed the number.

"Lord Roclair of the Blood, and the other one is Lenny the Blight Whip. However, the latter escaped during the escort."

"They say he escaped, but my grandfather has always suspected that Her Majesty the Queen let him go," Delphine finally said at this time: "At that time, there was a huge dispute between Her Majesty the Queen and my grandfather over the issue of dealing with these cultists. Disagreements - In fact, according to the laws of the temple, these cultists should have been elsewhere long ago, but the last one escaped, and one is still imprisoned in the Thorn Fortress, and most of the cultists and the fallen dark lords have only been sealed , has not been completely destroyed, and that Sir Lawson is just one of them."

"These are all orders issued by the Silver Queen herself," she sighed: "What puzzles my grandfather the most is that the temple actually backed down."

"This incident planted a bad blood between Her Majesty the Queen and my grandfather. But it was not just because of personal reasons, but because my grandfather saw at that time that Her Majesty had other intentions in her heart. Although he was not biased in the Temple. But as a veteran imperialist, he is not willing to see a real break between the royal family and the Temple. This leads the empire to the abyss of eternal destruction."

She took a gentle breath: "So everyone understands, now that everything has happened, it is even more impossible for my grandfather to stand with Her Majesty the Queen. This is why Her Majesty the Queen secretly designed me to leave the Imperial Capital. The reasons, which I should have seen through long ago, were just blinded by hatred.”

"Me, me too," Faina looked at Brando, gritted her teeth and said, "I can represent Mehotofen, Brando, and I will stand on your side. I am the leader of the flower-leaf collar." As the first heir, I can definitely make this promise."

"Miss Faina," Medisa glanced at her and comforted: "Don't worry, we are not targeting you."

"Thank you, Medisa." Her Royal Highness the Princess with the flower-leaf collar couldn't help but blush.

Delphine seemed to turn a deaf ear to Medissa's pointed words. She turned back to look at Brando and asked: "So, Lord, what should we do next?"

"There's still half a month," Brando replied: "It seems there's still plenty of time. Let's try our best to find out where Qian is under house arrest, because only if it's absolutely necessary will I consider moving directly on the day of the celebration." . Before that, we have to find a way to invade the moss castle. This is to save you and Faina’s relatives, and also to win more allies for us. "

He glanced at Sidney: "It would be great if we could find out where the top leaders of the temple are being held."

"Will they be killed by Her Majesty the Queen?" Charles suddenly interrupted.

"She won't do that," the Saint Statue of the Lion Palace finally said: "Before she gets the Holy Sword Odysseus——"

"Then let's do it. Let's investigate separately first," Brando replied: "Although the Silver Queen is confident in finding us out, before that, we have plenty of time to play a hide-and-seek game with her."

He paused slightly for a moment.

"I'll give her a surprise."

…(To be continued)

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