The inference of the young noncommissioned officer from Yanilasu seems to have injected a glimmer of hope into everyone. If they can easily reach Loen, then according to Brando's words, they should have a high possibility of leaving Andzlova; all
Everyone thinks so. As long as they get on the ship and go to sea, the Jorgendigans will be beyond reach. For those cave-dwelling monsters from underground, at least on the sea - it is still the world of the empire. The discussion soon became active
But while everyone else was still thinking about how to get out of trouble, the Countess from Yanbao thought of something further behind.
She asked: "After leaving the port, which route shall we take? To Metz or to Cape Bay?"
The others were silent for a moment, and finally Oni replied: "I think we should go to Cloak Bay. Metz is under the control of the White Army. Before we confirm Her Majesty's attitude, we cannot easily enter her."
Sphere of influence." She seemed to have finally accepted the possibility that the queen had betrayed the empire, and took the lead in incorporating this speculation into the conversation.
"No, no, no," Chiara shook her head: "Cloak Bay has always been the sphere of influence of the Cecil family. It is controlled by the Temple of Fire. On the surface, it seems to be the farthest away from the Queen's control, but in fact it is
, since everyone understands this truth, then the Queen must also understand this. On normal days, it is naturally the farthest place from the Supreme Being of the Empire, but now, I think it may be the center of the whirlpool."
"That makes sense..."
"So we go to Metz, but what about the White Army?"
"Ignore the White Army for now. In addition to the White Army in the north, there are also the territories of Ludwig and Archduke Helix. In such a place where the forces are complex and deeply rooted, it is the most difficult place for the imperial power to intervene.
.The more it is now, the less likely Her Majesty the Queen will be able to spare her hands to sort out the intricate relationships in these places, so it is safer for us to go there." Chiara replied.
Others turned their attention to Brando, who nodded slightly, thinking that these descendants of nobles were not really useless. At least the plan they gave now was very feasible. He thought for a moment and replied:
"To Metz."
Chiara was right. The aristocratic forces in the north were complex. The territories of several grand dukes were mixed with the forces of the military nobles. No matter how powerful Her Majesty the Queen was, it was impossible to free her hands in a short period of time.
They figured it out, so the north is the best place to fish in troubled waters. But he had an idea that Chiara had not guessed. Brando wanted to wait for the situation to become clearer in the north before taking action: just as he said. That silver
No matter who the queen wants to deal with, it has nothing to do with him - except Akane, whether it is the Temple of Flame or a certain Duke, he has no need to stand against the other person for the sake of anyone, so
The last thing he wanted was to get involved in this whirlpool.
Confronting the Dragon Queen was a last resort, but in any case, he now knew about Her Majesty the Queen's 'conspiracy', so what he had to do now was to try not to go to those sensitive areas, so as not to irritate Her Majesty the Queen.
Ask her to do something radical. In his opinion, Metz is very good - both under the control of Her Majesty the Queen and outside her control. It is a safe distance for both parties.
, at least it will not cause any misjudgment to the other party.
In fact, the civil strife in the empire is undoubtedly what Brando wants to see most. Of course, the premise is that he does not get caught in the flames. He feels that the best thing to do next is to watch Her Majesty the Queen and Yan Zhi from this safe distance.
The battle in the temple ended with both sides losing. Then we found an opportunity to rescue Akane. Of course, this was a bit difficult, but having a sweet dream would help relax your mind, wouldn't it?
He thought about it for a moment, and then said: "One more thing, I think you don't want to make a fuss about finally escaping Andzlova and being sunk by the Imperial Navy, right? So we must
By contacting the Empire in advance, we have to assume that we can stay at any port in Metz, who can do this?"
"Your Majesty the Earl... If you don't worry, maybe I can give it a try," Brando had just finished speaking, and another stammering voice replied. Brando looked back and found that it was the tall and tall man.
The fat young master Avram, in his memory, never took the initiative to speak on such occasions, so he couldn't help but look at this guy with some surprise. "However," Avram said a little embarrassedly:
"Maybe we can only borrow a commercial port..."
"That's enough." Brando waved his hand: "Well done, Avram, I didn't expect that your family also has a network of connections within the empire. Grand Duke Karasu is well-deserved."
His words are not a compliment. Within the empire, except for Yan Bao, the nobles connected with the empire are already very rare in this era. Even a powerful figure like Grand Duke Anlek is nothing in the empire.
He is an unknown person. Except for those well-informed people in some areas south of Anzeruta and within the empire, not many people have heard of this Grand Duke's name.
And Grand Duke Karasu can still maintain contact with the empire during this season, and even maintain a relationship network that seems to be pretty good. This is indeed an ability that can only be described as extraordinary.
Avram was also a little embarrassed by Brando's compliment, and couldn't help but chuckle. This was the first time since the mission set out from Eruin that he found a sense of accomplishment in a formal occasion, and he felt a sense of accomplishment in his heart.
Time couldn't help but feel very proud. Although earlier, he might not have thought highly of Brando, a country bumpkin from a remote area, but after this series of events, he vaguely felt that he could be admired by such a legendary Earl.
A compliment can be regarded as a kind of ability.
Brando didn't expect that things would go so smoothly. He originally didn't have high hopes for this combination, but he didn't expect that the descendants of the nobles in the mission were more capable than he imagined - but it should be so.
, they were born into aristocratic families, and their education and vision were much higher than those of the common people of the same generation. Except for a few geniuses, in such an environment, they were not truly incompetent, but just willing to degenerate.
That's all, but once you have the motivation, the knowledge and experience you originally mastered will turn into an outstanding ability, and it is not inconceivable that these abilities are unified with each other to achieve the current scene.
After everyone finished discussing, they started to take action - sorting out plans, arranging routes, counting food and weapons and ammunition reserves in the mission, and of course the most important thing was to appease the Cruz nobles and not let them see the clues.
Come, everyone is busy, only Roman, Princess Magdalen and Silver Dragon Mysriel appear to be particularly leisurely. As for the business lady, her leisure seems to be innate, and she can always be found to be lazy.
Ms. Silver Dragon looked at the way things were done in the human world with some curiosity, and asked Brando such dumbfounding questions as: "As a lord, is this how you usually control your subordinates?"
.
"Isn't this what humans were like a thousand years ago?"
"There is a slight difference." Mysriel replied, staring at the members of the Eruin envoy and the Cruz nobles in the woods.
"Ms. Mysriel, did you never return to the human world in the next thousand years?" Magdal turned back to look at her in surprise.
"As adult dragons, we must interfere with the mortal world as little as possible. Besides, most of us are too lazy to leave the Dragon Valley. If there was something special this time, I would not have met Malthus and the others."
Siluier didn't hide anything and answered truthfully.
"I see--"
The three of them were silent for a moment. But Princess Magdalen was smart at heart and naturally understood that Brando had another purpose for keeping her here. She paused and then asked: "My lord, do you want to know about Yan Zhi?"
Something inside the temple?”
Brando glanced at the latter in slight surprise. He didn't expect that she would guess exactly what he was thinking. He was stunned for a moment and then nodded slightly.
"You have heard what we said before. Her Majesty the Queen's behavior is very abnormal. I want to know why the Temple of Fire doesn't seem to have any reaction on the surface."
"Your Majesty, your question makes me a little embarrassed." Princess Magdale frowned slightly after hearing this, and then smiled bitterly.
"What, is there some secret involved?" Brando asked: "If that's the case, Her Royal Highness the Princess doesn't need to answer."
"That's not true."
Princess Magdale sighed softly.
…
The current weak situation of the Temple of Fire truly began one hundred and fifty years ago. When the son of Emperor Grantu was still in power, under the advice of the old Prime Minister Nidwen, he supported and won over the local and military forces.
The nobles of the Fang family gradually formed the three-legged situation of today's empire. The aloof status of the Temple of Fire for nearly six centuries since the Year of Revelation gradually collapsed. The emerging nobles and the greedy leading nobles pressed forward step by step, pushing the empire from south to south.
The north was divided into two, and the royal family finally gained a breather in the gap. When the father of the eleventh son of Emperor Grantuto - the Silver Queen passed away today, this world-famous king once held a hand on the sickbed.
Holding a sword and a scepter in one hand, it seems to be to show his life's achievements.
After the death of His Majesty the Emperor, Queen Silver came to the throne and gradually began to take back the excessive power in the hands of local nobles. On the one hand, she continued to suppress the Temple of Fire, but on the other hand, she began to be wary of the noble lords in the north about the hidden dangers planted by her father's excessive methods.
, were solved one by one by her hands. Although this iron-blooded queen has a bad reputation among the nobles, she is also one of the toughest female emperors in the history of Cruz.
It can be said that she paved the way for Cruz's reform. Behind her, the emperor's eldest son Lenaret made the empire's eagle soar in the sky in one fell swoop - at the time when the empire was at its peak, it was even the only one on the Warnd continent who could
A longer country than Madala, which was also more powerful at that time - this is the shame of the empire that has been weak in the past thirty years since the disastrous defeat in the Four Realms in the Silver Year. After that, the Cruz Empire faced
The period when the king's power was at its peak came.
This is the original history that Brando is familiar with, the rise of the Cruz imperial power and the fall of the religious power. However, in this world, only a few people know that this history begins from the moment Qiao Gendigang sets foot on the surface world.
It has long been changed beyond recognition.
Neither saints like Detes of Wadena, who can see into the future, nor characters like Vara, who is as wise as the Lion of the Holy Palace, can detect this.
It's just that for every clergy of this generation who was born in the age of the frog and experienced the entire process of the temple from prosperity to decline, this past history is full of strange heaviness and unwillingness, so much so that it is buried in the dust.
The many documents in the Hall of Candles that record this period of history are full of helplessness and sighs; and every clergyman who has read this period of history will involuntarily have too many what-ifs in his heart.
If the previous generation of clergy were not so arrogant and arrogant, if the priests of Rosche's generation could face up to their own power and that of local nobles earlier, if the temple at that time was not so gullible about centuries of so-called beliefs about believers and beliefs.
With absolute control, perhaps Cruz will look different today.
Like some low-level clergy, Rava also likes to read documents about the past of the temple in the aisles of the Hall of Candles. However, as the head of the Holy See of the Lion Palace, he still enjoys some small privileges after all -
For example, a special location, a comfortable chair, and a special candlestick; most monks are familiar with some of the little habits of the high priest, so they will arrange all these in advance, and this man has been in charge since the year of Qin.
The big shots in the ecclesiastical power also enjoyed this small special treatment.
This has nothing to do with comfort, but represents a symbol of power.
Unique and supreme.
Lava is not a person who is greedy for power. Compared with those nobles who are really drunk and dreaming of life, his life is actually more like a real ascetic monk, without much enjoyment, and even a bit too much for a person in his position.
Being poor, he rarely appears in the eyes of believers. Although he is famous in the imperial capital, not many people really know him. Among his few opponents and allies - Her Majesty the Queen may even
It must be one.
But Lava was very concerned about his authority, which he believed was one of the most important things the temple had lost over the past century because of its lack of attention.
Today was the same as usual. After reading the last paragraph, the great priest put a silk bookmark on it. He closed the book and flicked it with his finger. The flame on the silver candlestick flickered and then went out. He put every item on it.
Everything was put back in its place meticulously, but he didn't stand up from his chair. Instead, he put his hand on the red monk's robe and waited quietly.
A moment later, Sidney, known as the Virgin of the Lion Palace, walked over like a ghost from the other end of the corridor.
The lady first took a look at the books with traces of movement on the bookshelf - as usual, the books Vala read most were still records related to that period of history. She frowned slightly with no expression on her face.
He frowned, but didn't say much. He only replied in a tone of endorsement: "Archduke Helix was only injured in an assassination, and now lives in the Rose Garden. As for those rumors, it is a man named Nicole.
People made it up.”
"Who is that?" Vara asked.
"An insignificant little person who has been hiding in Accordion Lane for a while."
"What now?"
"In the dungeon of the trial chamber——"
"Did you ask anything?"
"This man took over Eugene half a month ago."
Vala seemed to be thinking about a question, so he focused his eyes on the silver candlestick without moving. After a long while, he asked: "Is it the high-ranking priest Eugene of the Kecha leader?"
Sidney nodded.
Vala suddenly pursed her lips, and her snow-white eyebrows knitted together. Sidney's answer made him feel that this was coming from the division and betrayal within the temple.
The importance of priests to the Temple of Fire is self-evident: "He was the first to respond to Her Majesty the Queen's call. Eleven people arrived at Rushta with him to investigate them."
"Caesar has already started to do it."
"Have you identified the person who assassinated Duke Helix?"
"It seems to be the same group of people."
Vala frowned slightly and smelled a hint of conspiracy. This was more than just betrayal. Someone was targeting the temple. He was keenly aware of this.
The enemies that the Temple is eyeing in the empire come from three parties: the unruly military nobles in the north of Metz, the southern nobles headed by the Palute family in the south of Anzeruta, plus Her Majesty the Queen, who can do it?
?
"In recent times, His Majesty and Prime Minister Niederwin have become very close." Sidney said again at this time.
Vala raised her eyebrows: "Who told you?"
"Duke Cecil."
"What else did he say?"
Sidney said nothing. She was not a good talker, but Vala seemed to have understood what she meant.
Your Majesty, what does she want to do?
"And one more thing."
"Um?"
"About a month ago, Niedwin's daughter went to Andzlova." Sidney replied quietly.
"Niedwen's daughter," Walla thought for a while, then realized that Sidney was talking about little Niedwen. He was in a daze for a moment, and asked with some confusion: "It's that stubborn little girl, I remember
What's her name, Delphine, yes, that's the name." Vala tapped her forehead with her fingers, suddenly frowned and said: "She went to Andzlova, a month ago, she went there to do