Looking at Ioannis who left angrily, Eudocia frowned slightly, her face full of worries. Obviously there were powerful enemies outside and nobles working under cover of the enemy. The heavy burden was all on her. If it were someone else,

It was already unbearable, but the princess, who was soft on the outside and strong on the inside, was still struggling to support her.

"Your Excellency Baptiste, can we really hold on until Justinian comes back?" Eudocia, who couldn't hide her tiredness, asked the Latin man beside her feebly. From being full of hope at the beginning, to now being trapped in a lonely city.

After receiving no news, the princess felt a little desperate at this time. A voice in her heart kept whispering quietly to tempt her to give up quickly.

But before Baptiste could answer her question, Antonia's rhetorical question made the confused Eudocia wake up, "All of us are qualified to doubt whether Justinian abandoned us, Your Highness. But only

Do you really think so?"

The words of the Genoese girl were so shocking that Odosia was also a little embarrassed. Yes, if it weren't for the young man who was just starting out, he might still be a caged bird in the palm of Leos Grace without knowing it. If it wasn't for him at that time,

If she appeared in time, she and her daughter in Tripolis would probably be killed by the rebels. These were the true feelings she revealed when she and Antonia talked around the fire at night, but now she has forgotten them because of the momentary wavering.

"Thank you, Antonia." The princess sincerely thanked the girl who was so close to her.

Others on the side were also surprised that the words of the Genoese girl had such a miraculous effect. Odosia, who had been extremely depressed just now, now had the gloom in her eyes cleared away and became determined again.

"Your Excellency Baptiste, Your Excellency Arslan." Odosia turned to look at the other two people behind her and said, "I need you to seize the time to strengthen the city defense and prepare for the next battle." After recovering, the princess understood.

The enemies outside the city will never give up easily, and they cannot afford to take it lightly after the fierce battle on the first day.

At this time, Baptiste, who had been holding back his words, stepped forward and whispered: "These things can be put on hold for a while, Your Highness, I think it is time for us to implement that plan."

"Plan?" Looking at the mysterious Latin man, Odosia was slightly startled, not knowing what it meant.

Antonia, who had already heard the other party's words, lowered her voice to the princess beside her and said: "We want to take you to see someone, Your Highness!"

…

…

…

Thessaloniki at night, freed from the fierce fighting during the day, is shrouded in rare peace under the night sky. Compared to the bright lights of the upper town where the nobles live, the dirty alleys where civilians huddle are crowded and dim.

A few wild cats howled, but there was no other sound.

Late at night, a carriage quietly drove across the stone bridge at the junction of the upper and lower cities. It deliberately turned into the shantytowns extending in all directions. After going around several turns, the driver stopped in front of a small shabby hotel.

The driver of the horse was dressed up in disguise. At first glance, he looked like a coachman. No one would have thought that the driver of the horse was actually Sir Baptiste, the alderman of Thessaloniki. He was seen knocking the bell carefully.

The door panel seemed to be communicating with the people inside. After an unknown amount of time, the door of this inconspicuous tavern slowly opened. At the other end, Baptiste also opened the carriage compartment, and the people inside walked out.

After getting off the bus, he walked into the tavern without stopping.

"This is...?" Looking at this strange environment, Odosia took off the hood that concealed her identity and looked confused. Until now, Baptiste and Antonia, who brought her here, still haven't told them.

Who did she come to see on this trip?

"Your Highness!" A hoarse voice came from a dark corner of the tavern. Odosia followed the sound and saw an old man holding an oil lamp walking out of the corridor and saluting her.

"Gui'an!"

"Gui'an, who are you?" Obviously the person in front of her knew her, but Odosia couldn't figure out what was going on for a while. Could it be that Antonia and the others brought her here just to see him?

The old man also saw the confusion of the princess in front of him, so he said: "It seems that Your Highness has forgotten me... I am the former head of the Vadaritai Security Regiment, Semius."

When the old man said this name, Odosia let out a cry of surprise. Of course she still remembered this old man who had been in front of the emperor. He was deeply trusted by her parents back then, but she didn't expect that after not seeing each other for a few years, he would become a different person now.

An inconspicuous, rickety old man.

Semius looked at the surprised reaction of the princess and smiled bitterly. After returning from leading the tribe in Bulgaria, he chose to retire because of the pain and handed over the Vadaritai Guards to the younger tribesmen. Today, he is no longer as high-spirited as before.

It’s no wonder that His Highness couldn’t recognize him. Semius didn’t pay attention and said: “Your Highness, the person you want to see is inside.” After saying that, the old man turned sideways to get out of the way and pointed at himself under the light of the oil lamp in his hand.

The deep corridor when you arrived.

Looking at the scene in front of her, although she still couldn't figure out what was going on, Eudocia still chose to follow Semius through the corridor, accompanied by Antonia and Sir Baptiste.

Arriving at the door of a house.

"Your Highness, please meet with the people inside alone." Semius said.

Looking at Antonia's affirmative look behind her, the princess took a breath and put aside all her worries and agreed to go in alone.

The door to the room was slowly opened, and Odosia stepped into the room, which was not too spacious. At a glance, she saw someone already waiting for her inside with his back turned.

It was also the voice of an old man, but his tone was obviously richer and more powerful than that of Semius before.

"Long time no see, Your Highness Odosia!"

The old man with his back to the princess slowly stood up and faced Odosia, revealing his true face. He was wearing a white priest's robe draped around his body. Although it was not very visible in the dim candlelight, Odosia could not see clearly.

Ya still recognized the other party.

"John... Grand Priest?!"

Standing in front of her was John X, the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church whose whereabouts remained unknown after the fall of Constantinople. Eudocia would never admit his mistake to this man who gave her birth and baptism. But when she saw him

, the previous confusion and surprise quickly turned into anger.

"Why are you here?" Odosia asked, obviously not friendly to the appearance of the Grand Priest in front of her.

John X seemed to have expected it, and he replied calmly: "I understand your mood, Your Highness, but I have already arrived in Thessaloniki, and now I am the only person who can solve your dilemma.
Chapter completed!