Blood tax

Chapter 297 The Girl of Anjou

The attack on October 10 caused tragic casualties. Pieces of black carrion and blood were smeared on the white walls of Odessa, and the screams did not completely dissipate until the dawn of the next day.

The Odessa army was mobilized and began searching houses and streets.

Bai Yelan is not idle either.Some officers and nobles couldn't stay any longer, and followed General Maximus with the No.12 Legion and set off towards the neck.The Ninth Army and its auxiliaries set off from Odessa later, as there were too many troops and accompanying carts, which could easily block the road to Teutoburg.

The Bayeran Auxiliary Corps to which Griffith belongs must cooperate with the Ninth Corps.While waiting for departure, he came to the nearby mage tower, requested a reference room as an officer, and started working before departure.

He first finished writing the letter to Galadia, and reported on his life and work, and then began to understand the local maps, historical records and official documents.

According to the map, leaving Odessa and heading north, ideally, the army can reach the valley of the Neck with a fast march of seven days.The actual marching time is about ten days.Along the way up the Beiy River, there are densely populated plains and towns along the way.Turn right in the middle and cross the Tierne River to reach the Sevasto region, and turn northwest to the vast plain grain-producing area and the northern border.

Anjou girls are active in Anjou County on the northwest border, six hundred miles away from Odessa.There is the territory of Odessa, intersecting with the fiefdoms of the marquis and earl directly under King Bayeran, relying on the mountains and rivers to build a defense line against the northern orcs.

The border territory of the Lamor family is not too far from there. It is said that it is a large piece of rich and beautiful land with many residents, and it is responsible for the defense of the border.There was the reward that the ancestors of the Lamor family had fought under the banner of King Baieran long ago, and it was also the nail on which the kingdom was embedded in Odessa.

The Earl's family may not go there once a year.When Griffith first arrived in Bajeland, he had heard the earl joke at dinner that there was a bad harvest on a good day.

Maybe the housekeeper and the agent are embezzling the property~ Should I send someone to check it out and catch a few mice... Hey, forget it~ It's not my property, the Earl doesn't care, why should I care about it.

In the dry library, after drinking the second cup of low-purity ale, Griffith quickly read through several large cowhide-bound books to learn about local power, geography and history, and took out a stack of Local Extraordinary and official submissions.

The top report, still stained with blood, reported that a mixed army of orcs, half-orcs, and trolls was rampaging across the border, raiding manors and towns here and there, before being wiped out by the border guards.There were no less than ten similar military reports, and several troops of the clan alliance carried only a small amount of supplies, and sneaked through the mountains and river valleys to the border of Odessa to attack, plunder, or gather to occupy dangerous places.

A nearby town reported to Odessa officials that the town's gravediggers found that the corpses in the cemetery had been stripped of their graves and gathered in an army of the dead that had entered the forest.The local lord or garrison knight said that they had dispatched a team of Extraordinary people to investigate, found out that it was true and sent some people to pursue it, but no one came back.

The reports on the undead creatures are all recent. Although there was no large-scale incident, it still caused great panic in various places. Letters of help to the Odessa officials and the Holy See of the Holy Light followed one after another.From the perspective of the attack in Odessa, the life thread of Void Realm is instructing its followers to take an active offensive, but what is the target?

The Virgin of Anjou is mentioned repeatedly in this series of reports.She led a militia that repelled many orcs and assisted the beleaguered town in a brilliant victory.Logically speaking, the saint should bring a militia composed of believers to join the army. Maybe it won't be long before Griffith will see with his own eyes what this cloud-covered but famous girl looks like...

Griffith put down the file and fell into thought.Gradually, he felt very tired and fell asleep on the table.

……

Griffith found himself in the middle of a burning town, with dead bodies, both human and orc, lying on the side of the road.Brutal fighting broke out here, and hardly a single building was left intact.

Nervously, he tried to grab the weapon, only to find that he was bare-handed.The orc ran right past him, completely oblivious to his presence.

They caught a girl.

Her face is not clear, the silver breastplate is stained with blood, and the saber in the scabbard at her waist has been lost.The orcs were wounded and shouted angrily:

"Burn her to death!"

"Burn the Banshee!"

They tied the girl to the stake and threw firewood and straw at her feet.An orc warrior dressed as a leader limped to the girl with a spear.

The orcs were strong and had reached middle age. Their majestic bodies surpassed the city walls, and their majestic aura made the mountains ashamed.There was an old wound on his left face from top to bottom, and a new cut was cut from left to right. The wound made his face look more ferocious, but his words were very polite.

"Banshee, your people have fled, and they handed you and your army over to my warriors, and the battle is divided.

"Above the vast sea of ​​grass and stone fields, no one can save you; in the sky covered like a dome, the evil gods fell under my warrior's battle axe.

"It's all over, you will be purified by the fire, and no one can save you.

"I order you to repent and let this end."

After saying this, the orc let out a long sigh, his ferocious face was full of joy.

"I don't need to repent," the girl's face was blurred like a mist, but her voice was clear and firm, "If possible, I even want to live a little longer. My guardian will come, no matter what Past or present, unless time can be terminated."

The orc spat bloody saliva: "May your soul be purified. Soldiers, light the fire."

He waved an order to his subordinates, and the flames soaring into the sky swallowed the pyre in a blink of an eye.

The girl is surrounded by flames.She had no fear, nor did she scream like other people who were burned at the stake, she just murmured in a low voice.

Griffith moved closer, trying to hear what she was saying.When he came to the fire, the flames seared his cheeks and nearly set his hair on fire.Here, he heard intermittent voices.

"Griffith, what are you,

"It's so late..."

Me, why me?Griffith wanted to stop it, but couldn't get any closer to the stake.He witnessed the girl disappearing into the flames, and the melancholy rolled out endlessly.

……

"Griffith."

"Captain, wake up!"

"Wake up, Griffith!"

Griffith woke up from his sleep and looked up abruptly.He looked around and saw Sonia clutching his arm.Karen, who served as the guard, and Anna, the maid, were also beside him. Karen hit him on the head with the hilt of her sword, while Anna patted him with a wet towel soaked in cold water.

The quasi-knight was covered with ice water and jumped up with a bang.

"what's the situation?"

"His Highness summoned us, there is an urgent military situation," Sonia said anxiously, "Also, we have received an urgent report from Lansada trainee nun!"

Lansada, so this report will be about the Virgin of Anjou?

This is a report from a town called Pierfon in Odessa, signed by Lansada.

"Knight Griffith, this is the third letter I have sent, may the Holy Light protect our brave messengers to break through the blockade.

"I'm in a border town called Pierfonts, with girls from Anjou, three thousand militiamen and tens of thousands of refugees.

"We originally planned to move in the direction of Teutoburg. A few days ago, the Holy Maiden found a large orc regular army appearing behind us, preparing to attack Pierre Feng. If they succeed, they will cut off Teutoburg and the Anjou area contact.

"This orc army came very suddenly, and we didn't get any information in advance. When we arrived at Pierafon to prepare to evacuate the refugees, we found that the guards of the nearby fortress had already left, abandoned the fortress and luggage, and didn't even notify us. More than Three thousand clan alliance troops suddenly rushed out of the fortress and attacked us.

"The Anjou girl commanded the troops to the rear so that the refugees could retreat with peace of mind. However, after the guard retreated without authorization, the orc army blocked our way.

"We retreated into the town of Pierfon under the leadership of the saint, and built walls and trenches there to hold on. There were orc and half-orc armies in all directions, but none of our troops came to support us! We have no food and no weapons. , many, many people were injured.

"Knight, I beg you, for the sake of the brave saints and warriors here, come and help us! Help me!"

The handwriting on the letter has been blurred in many places.Lansarda was not the type to wet the paper with his hands and feet.

Griffith received the letter, stood up and said to Sonia: "Let's go to the headquarters."

Then, he turned to Karen and said, "You go and inform the squadron, assemble immediately, and prepare for an urgent march. In addition, I suggest that the squadrons of Urenas, Urenas, and Yellen also make preparations."

……

When Griffith and Sonia arrived at the headquarters, everyone received an urgent report from the direction of Pierre Fond.

The prince was sitting at the table, looking at the map with a serious face, and a group of officers surrounded him, silent.

"Where are General Maximus's men?" asked the prince, "and send messengers to recover them. As long as the general attacks, Piervain's situation will be all right."

"The old general is heading for Teutoburg with the Twelfth Army," said one of the staff officers, "In addition..."

Another staff officer said: "It is impossible for the general to attack, there is no suitable road near him."

The prince dropped the quill on the map, stood up and walked around the tent.His expression was urgent, as if it was the end of the world.

　There will be one more later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)