When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

Chapter 1172 The Shocking Change at the Fatty Beef Burger

"Would you like to come with me to see Baleri?"

“I’m not going.” Angrok turned over in bed.

This former pride of France, now unshaven, lies on a soft hotel bed, holding a newly published dictionary from Saint Union in his hands.

The previous events dealt a significant blow to this talented individual from France.

It wasn't just the terrifying machinery at the expo that impressed me, but also the potential behind it.

Angrok was not a narrow-minded person. After gaining more knowledge and learning, he immediately conducted research on the ether clock and the ether spire.

Upon realizing the connection between the Ether Spire and the Holy Alliance, Angrok knew that things were beyond repair and no one could stop the rise of the Holy Alliance.

It's not because of the Ether Spire; such treasures naturally belong to the strong.

The problem is, the Holy Alliance is the stronger one.

It would be dangerous for a child to carry a large sum of money through a busy street, but if a three-meter-tall mechanical monk wearing clockwork power armor were to carry a large sum of money through a busy street, probably no one would be tempted.

Peaceful confrontation—the Holy Alliance, with its Holy Mechanism Court, is equivalent to a divine realm on Earth within the Holy Mechanism Court's territory.

Given the current balance of power among the various factions within the empire, a military confrontation is likely to result in a protracted war of attrition.

In the end, when the tug-of-war drags on, it's bound to end with bottles and jars being smashed.

The Holy Alliance has only been rising for thirteen years, and its internal political power structure is not yet solidified. If things fall apart, they fall apart.

But what about Fran? Or Norn? Do they still have the resolve, or rather, the capability?

Therefore, in the end, the Holy Alliance has an 80% to 70% chance of winning this game, no matter how unwilling Angrok is to accept it.

But he still had to consider a major issue:

In the future, where should the Northern Norn region, including Beef Burger, be placed?

That's why Angrjok has been reading the Holy Alliance's books lately, trying to find a way to save Fatty's Castle.

Alexei could understand Angrzok's condition, but he believed that Angrzok would recover soon.

His little cousin is not so fragile.

Alexei went out, went down the stairs of the inn to the first floor, got into the carriage he had rented outside, and headed towards the outskirts of the city.

Not far from the platform, there was a dilapidated little tavern. The greasy tabletops had been wiped over and over again by the owner with a greasy rag, but the more he wiped, the greasier they became.

Alexei, however, did not show any disdain. He skillfully pushed open the door of the tavern and raised his hand to greet the owner.

"boss."

Upon seeing it, the owner immediately shouted to the kitchen, "One sheep's head, one serving of mutton bone soup, two purple apples, and one cup of dragon blood pepper!"

No need to order more; the owner is already familiar with Alexei's set meals.

In the old seat that I used to frequent, there was already a man sitting there. He was wearing simple coarse cloth clothes and holding a newspaper in his hand, laughing out loud at the illustrations in the joke section.

"Barelli, you're here so early?"

"It's close to my home."

Such dialogues have occurred countless times over the past three years.

This was their favorite restaurant. Back in their youth, they were broke and could only afford scraps of lamb's head.

Nobody eats sheep's heads, so they're exceptionally cheap.

Moreover, this "Veteran's Lamb Head" restaurant offers a 20% discount to military academy students who come to eat lamb head!
Alexei was wealthy, but he preferred to use his money to arm more soldiers, open more trade routes, and build more workshops, so he saved money wherever possible.

A group of military academy officers, for one reason or another, gathered in this small tavern.

Every weekend, we have to gather here; it's practically become our regular canteen.

Who is still in the Holy Machine Court?

"The younger students are still in training camp, so they probably don't have time to go out for drinks."

"Training camp?" Alexei looked bewildered. "Didn't they already have training camp? Why do they need to have another one?"

"It's not that they're training the students; it's that they're training the next batch of students."

Alexei then realized that they had been the seniors training the juniors, and now it was the juniors' turn to become the seniors.

He had mixed feelings, and silently poured himself a glass of gin.

Where did Endorex go?

"The warband went to Black Serpent Bay to guard the border with Fran."

"Where is Sawindal?"

"He went to Black Champion. He was originally recommended by Black Champion, so it's a good opportunity for him to return to his old team."

The two exchanged a few words, and it turned out that their old friends from St. Tangier Military Academy had all gone their separate ways.

Alexei then realized that perhaps when he said goodbye to his friends at the school gate, it was the last time many of them would ever see each other again.

"What about Polpodos?"

"He went back to his hometown to get married, and he might go to the local garrison to find a military position."

"Damn it, you got married so early."

Raising his glass, Baleri gestured towards the direction of the Holy See: "Your Majesty is also getting married, to four holy maidens."

Alexei remained silent. Popes usually married in secret, so to do it so openly, especially marrying four at once, was truly unprecedented.

But the people of the Holy Alliance seemed to take this as a normal thing, even looking forward to it and being happy about it. Apart from a few old scholar monks from Kasha County and stubborn old farmers in the countryside who might grumble a bit, most people of the Holy Alliance didn't think much of it.

"And you, Alexei, where are you planning to go?"

“Of course, back to Norn, back to Beefburg.” Alexei picked up a small biscuit offered on the table and popped it into his mouth. “The Shooting Corps is ready, and my allies are ready too.”

I'll pretend to be traveling around Norn, then suddenly return to Beef Fortress, lead the Marksmen in a coup, and send those old fogies flying one by one with clockwork cannons!

"I wish you all the best, Alexei. Although you are a nobleman, you are a kind and benevolent man." Baleri raised his glass to him.

"And you, Baleri, where are you headed?"

Despite his outstanding achievements, Baleri has not been able to secure a military position due to a lack of remarkable combat record.

Alexei set his sights on Baleri, and not just because of their good relationship.

Look, all the other military cadets have taken up military posts and gone their separate ways, but Baleri is still stationed at the Holy Armory, eagerly waiting for a position.

If he could come to Norn, within the Shooting Army, Alexei could at least give him the position of commander of five hundred men, equivalent to a legion commander in the Holy Alliance.

Before Baleri could answer, the owner came over carrying two large plates.

"Here's your sheep's head and beer, enjoy."

The steaming hot sheep's head emitted wisps of steam, and dewdrops condensed on the knives and forks.

Alexei and Baleri didn't like using knives and forks to cut; instead, they wiped their hands with hot towels and tore at the food with their bare hands.

A sheep's head shouldn't be cold; it won't taste good if it's cold.

So in this restaurant specializing in mutton head, no matter how big the matter, you have to eat the mutton head first when you have something to eat.

Strips of red and white muscle fibers were torn apart, exposing the white fat under the light, and the meat juices flowed down the plate.

The two of them would shake their hands from time to time to dissipate the heat from their fingertips, but they still enjoyed it immensely.

They tore open the steamed sheep's head in a competitive manner, then poured hot oil over the dry seasoning with dragon blood pepper powder, causing it to solidify into a semi-solid oil.

Strips of mutton head meat, mixed with tendons and fat, were torn off, and the two would occasionally pick up a purple apple from the table and take a bite.

“Slurp, slurp—”

Both of them were experts at eating sheep's heads, and in less than a minute, the sheep's head in front of them revealed its white bones.

After gouging out the eyes and throwing them into his mouth, Baleri suddenly stopped pushing the sheep's head apart.

"Alexei, I'm getting married."

After slurping the last piece of sheepskin into his mouth, Baleri handed an invitation to Alexei.

“Actually, I got my military rank a long time ago, but I kept putting it off because I was getting married.” Baleri watched Alexei slurping his mutton slower and slower. “I wanted you to be my best man, but Leanna caught a cold while swimming, so the wedding was postponed. I’m afraid you’ll have left the Holy Alliance by then.”

"Congratulations." Alexei's voice was muffled in his nasal cavity, but his words were somewhat nonchalant.

"What's wrong with you? You're acting like a complaining old woman."

Alexei didn't resent his sister-in-law; it's just that he suddenly realized—

His best friends are all in the Holy Alliance, he grew up in the Holy Alliance, he studied there, his teachers are there, and the people he secretly loves are all in the Holy Alliance.

He preferred the cramped castle, the gloomy court, and the courtiers with their own ulterior motives to the commoner Alexei of the Holy Alliance.

He will definitely miss this place when he goes back.

"If only time could stop."

“Time doesn’t stop.” Baleri finished his beer in one gulp. “We just have to keep going.”

Picking up his spoon, Baleri suddenly tapped his glass and began to sing to himself: "Young friends, we are always so hasty, the starry sky is my home..."

This song, composed and written by Saint Sun, is a classic farewell song.

“…Wherever you go, I’ll go, I don’t care…” Alexei sang along.

"...After that, each of us will have another miracle in our lives."

When the song ended, the two looked at each other and smiled, then slammed their hands on the table: "Boss, bring two more pitchers, no, four pitchers of beer!"

"Alright, eight jugs of beer!"

What was originally intended as a meeting to recruit Baleri turned into a cocktail party for two. They drank from six to eleven o'clock, leaving a mess of glasses and plates. Many guests had already left before they finally finished.

"It's time to go." Alexei was unusually quiet.

"goodbye!"

Alexei stood up and walked towards the door, feeling Baleri's gaze fixed on his back.

As Alexei reached the door, he pushed it open and was about to leave when he was bumped into.

He looked down and saw it was Angrjok.

"How did you come?"

"Something's happened, Alexei!"

With sweat beading on his forehead, Angrzok handed a letter to Alexei.

He picked up the letter, but before he could read more than a few lines, his face, which had been flushed from the alcohol, turned pale instantly.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could vampires possibly reach the Beef Burger!"

(End of this chapter)