After Todd agreed, Huggins pushed the door open and walked in. The former pointed to the seat and motioned for the latter to sit down first.
"Is everything settled?"
Hearing the priest's question, the man's expression looked a little heavy: "The monks who are proficient in medical skills are treating the wounded, but one knight's injury was too serious and he was unable to survive in the end."
Todd sighed, made the sign of the Holy Cross on his chest, and then looked around the side hall. Rachel, Alfonso, Friar Joe, and Huggins were all watching him, waiting for his next words.
"I believe everyone already knows about Queen Mary and Baron Cumberland..." Todd sat on the chair, touched the bridge of his nose with his hand, and said awkwardly: "Let us think about it, what should we do next?
What to do."
Seeing that everyone else was silent, Alfonso straightened his spine and chose to be the first to speak: "When I was a secular knight, I served in the army of Baron Cumberland for a period of time. In my opinion,
Come on, the Baron is a man of noble character, and I trust his character and judgment, and I think they should be given asylum."
Huggins raised his head and glanced at Todd, opened his mouth slightly to say something, but finally gave up.
Rachel's ears were listening to Alfonso's words, but her face was facing the ground. Her eyes rolled around and looked at the monk beside her.
Joe, who has lived in the monastery for a long time, has been in contact with monk brothers and devout people. He has always been an outspoken person who speaks out what he has to say. He refuted the remarks of the Holy See Knight on the spot: "Before we discuss asylum, should we first
Talk about self-protection? There are more than a thousand unarmed residents in Muxi Town. Taking in fugitives from the kingdom at this time is equivalent to pushing these residents into the furnace of war!"
Alfonso was a little anxious. He forced himself to stand up and said, "Are we going to die without saving anything? Just hand these knights over to those butchers?!"
Friar Joe touched his chin with his hand and said uncertainly: "Maybe we can find a few small boats in the town and give them some necessary supplies to let them leave here."
Rachel spoke at this time: "When the brutal soldiers outside asked for the fugitives, if they knew that we had let them go, guess what those angry guys would do?"
Alfonso smashed his fist on the wooden table in front of him and said loudly: "If they dare to do that, I will fight to the end and defend justice and honor with sword and blood!"
Seeing the discussion among the people in front of him, Todd held his cheek with his right hand and suddenly asked: "I heard from the Baron that the Holy Acropolis is going to declare war on Silver Ring City?"
After hearing this, Huggins quickly stood up and said: "According to the news brought back by the merchants recently, the armies of the two countries are indeed gathering towards the border."
Todd fell silent again.
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"You have the right to resent me..."
Cumberland, whose upper body was covered with bandages, was sitting in the chapel of the church. He looked at the speaker, Queen Mary, who was dressed in common clothes. The old man frowned: "If you are talking about my son, then I am afraid that I will ask you to
You are disappointed."
With the help of his subordinates, Cumberland put on his armor again.
He took out the cross that once belonged to Hermann from his arms, placed it in the palm of his hand, and gently rubbed the surface of the pendant with the pad of his thumb. Then, he looked at the wounded and covered in pain and wailing in the chapel.
Baibu's body sighed heavily.
"Think about how many people struggle in vain between disease and pain and fall down, instead of dying gloriously on the battlefield." Cumberland took the cross back into his arms and looked at the confused Queen Mary: "I
His son, he died in battle with the honor of a knight, protecting someone he considered more important than life."
The queen looked at the miserable situation of the knights around her, closed her eyes in despair, buried her face deeply in her hands, and sobbed softly: "Me? I am just a sinner."
"Your Majesty the Queen!"
Cumberland's roar awakened the woman who was immersed in grief and self-blame.
"If you deny your own value, you are denying my son's sacrifice!" The old man picked up the long sword at his waist, strode to the door, and dropped a sentence: "Live and find a reason for yourself to live!"
Cumberland opened the door and walked to the square in front of the church. He glanced at the people not far away who were casting curious glances, and whispered to his subordinates: "Are the pursuers here?"
"The cavalry company of the Eastern Legion has arrived. There are about 25 "Lancers". They don't seem to have any intention of entering the town. Instead, they are constantly roaming and patrolling around here."
("Lance" was the smallest formation of the European cavalry unit in the Middle Ages, generally including one heavy cavalry, two horse archers, and one light cavalry. This composition will vary depending on the country and era.)
Cumberland thought for a moment and said in a deep voice: "It seems that those guys are not stupid enough to fall out with the church."
"Sir, what should we do now?"
The baron looked back at the cross on the top of the church in Muxi Town: "I need to talk to someone."
——————————————
Todd sat at the table in the exegesis hall, frowning and looking at Cumberland who was walking around the room and visiting casually.
In the end, he couldn't hold it any longer and asked: "Lord Baron, I heard that you want to see me?"
Cumberland looked back at Todd. The old god sat down opposite him and said calmly: "Father, don't call me a baron. You and I should both understand that sooner or later my title will be taken away."
matter."
Todd shrugged indifferently: "Okay, Mr. Cumberland."
The old man smoothed his silver beard and looked at the young face opposite: "Father Todd, maybe you don't know, I have been paying attention to you since the heresy trial. In total, this should be
This is the fourth time I see you..."
Todd interrupted in surprise: "Four times? That many?"
Cumberland counted on his fingers: "The first time was at the heresy meeting in the cathedral, the second time was at the Queen's dinner, the third time was when I invited you to the palace, plus this time,
Exactly four times.”
Todd was stunned, and then asked: "The Queen's dinner? Is that the gambling game? Were you there?"
"That's right, from the time you jumped off the carriage to the time you left with that alien girl, I was always there." The old knight nodded, raised an eyebrow, and a narrow smile slowly appeared on his face: "Originally
I was also curious whether you would send that girl to the Inquisition. It wasn’t until I saw the nunnery next to the church today that I realized that my guess was right."
Looking at the expression on the old man's face that said "I understand you, these are all men", Todd couldn't help but laugh or cry.
Cumberland stood up and looked out through the blinds of the room. After turning around, he said with a solemn expression: "Father Todd, let's get down to business. I want to take my men to the church and join the church.
Muxi Town.”
Todd's heart skipped a beat, and he said calmly: "Want to seek refuge in the church? Aren't there supposed to be many better choices than a small place like Muxi Town?"
Cumberland shook his head: "The Saint's Cathedral in Silver Ring City cannot provide shelter at all; the war lunatics in Saint Acropolis, I have been fighting with them for so many years, so naturally there is no place for me there;
As for Lone Rock City, it is too far away. After much deliberation, Muxi Town is the most suitable place..."
Todd spread his hands towards the old knight: "Mr. Cumberland, as you can see, facing the enemies outside the town, it is difficult for Muxi Town to even protect itself, so why should it accept you?"
Woolen cloth?"
"It's not a problem for me to clean up the cavalry outside the town." Cumberland walked to the bookshelf, took out the top "Bible", stretched out his finger and wiped it on the cover, and a thick layer of dust adhered to it.
on the skin.
Todd laughed when he heard the other party's "bold words". Cumberland's next words made his smile stop on his face.
"I have an infantry regiment of two hundred men on the way here."
————————————————
"The cavalry outside the town have begun to set up camp." Todd said towards Cumberland: "What are your plans?"
The latter looked at the setting sun and said slowly: "I plan to do it tonight."
Todd suspected that there was something wrong with his ears: "Tonight? Are you sure? All of your subordinates are injured! Your army hasn't arrived yet!"
Cumberland stretched out his index finger and shook it towards Todd: "War is often not a confrontation between two armies as imagined. As a commander, you need to think outside the box."
Todd looked at the old knight's "confident" look and kindly reminded him: "I heard from Huggins that those cavalry are from the 'Eastern Legion' and are the most elite guards in the Silver Ring Kingdom. Your army only has
There are two hundred people, and they are all infantry, so you are at a disadvantage in terms of military strength."
Cumberland laughed and said with great enthusiasm: "Winning a war depends on ability, not military strength."
Todd saw that the other party was not appreciative at all, and he became very angry: "Mr. Cumberland, underestimating the enemy and being proud are not good things."
The old knight patted him on the back: "This sentence is correct. Whenever you deal with your enemy, you should always remember to leave a way for yourself. However, in this battle, I feel that I have the advantage.
"
Todd opened his eyes wide and looked at the other party in confusion.
Cumberland glanced at the door of the church and said slowly: "What the enemy wants is here with me; what I want, the enemy doesn't know."
Todd seemed to be listening to a book from heaven, completely unable to understand it, and said hesitantly: "Are you sure you don't need help?"
"No need, Father, I have encountered situations more dangerous than this many times. You might as well regard this battle as a test to see if I am qualified to join Muxi Town."