Heart of the Castle

Chapter 470 Audience, Dying, King

The Griffin King spread his golden wings and slowly landed under the only remaining tower of the Holy White Rock Castle. Dusk had already fallen on this castle that had been devastated by flames, storms and armies of undead. The faint golden light of the sacred domain is still there, it is like a gloomy ruin.Earl Ansair led more than a dozen noble knights from the royal capital to wait in front of the gate of the central fortress. The actual ruler of Northern County was wearing a silver-white light knight armor, which was covered with scars and dents. Relieved, with the feeling of exhaustion after a fierce battle.

Standing next to Earl Ansair was Baron Hughes, who became the temporary leader of the remaining ten or so Griffin Knights after Levi's attendant knight, Glen Worm, disappeared.Baron Hughes' right arm was injured during the battle of guarding the outer city wall. Although it improved after receiving the priest's magical treatment, it was still unable to move. .

On the other side of Earl Ansair was Miss Fleischer. The female knight did not take her gaze away from Levi Ston, who descended from the sky riding the Griffin King, and there were crystals in her eye sockets.She was so excited that she had to put her hands on the back of the Dark Nightmare in the Northern Territory to stand there steadily.

Li Wei didn't wait for the Griffon King to land safely, so he jumped down impatiently and came to the sword dancer, "Master Ansair, are you okay?" The Griffon Lord's voice was a little bit Hoarse, because the sword dancers he saw had always been handsome, but now they looked a little embarrassed, and the signature elegant smile disappeared from Earl Ansair's lips.

"It's okay, but if you are a few hours late, it will be very bad." Earl Ansair stepped forward, clasped his hands tightly with Li Wei, and then hugged the young hero vigorously . "Proud of you, Leviston," he whispered in the Gryphon Lord's ear.

Next, Li Wei hugged with Archbishop Bovais, Baron Hanuk, Miss Fleischer and others in turn, but when it was Baron Hughes' turn, the black armored knight standing behind the Griffon Lord threw He gave a cold and sharp glance, which made his body stiffen involuntarily, and his handsome face also turned pale.

When he retreated into the crowd, Baron Hughes was still baffled, "Did I offend Sir Rodriguez at some point?" He muttered to himself, with a wry smile on his lips, "Offended an earl with a sword? The goddess of life Elara, this is a big problem."

People with lower status gathered around, many of them once belonged to the wealthy royal families who were hostile to the Griffin Lord, and some people even took Li Wei as their target to surpass, but now these people look at Li Wei with all eyes. full of awe.No matter who it is, having the terrifying strength to wipe out tens of thousands of undead and drive the demon army all the way, is enough to completely change the perception of these people.

"My lords, please wait for a while to say hello." Sir Qibei's voice sounded from outside the crowd. This iron guard knight was injured in the battle guarding the outer city wall, so he was not wearing gray armor. The bloody bandage made the whole person look smaller. "His Majesty the Dragon King woke up not long ago, and he hopes to see Earl Ansair and Viscount Leviston immediately."

Li Wei and Earl Ansair looked at each other, feeling a little nervous for no reason. "Everyone, by God's blessing, His Majesty Arthur XII has just woken up!" The sword dancer pointed out to the others in as relaxed a voice as possible, "Our king is fine."

The nobles let out a burst of cheers, and Sir Chebbe's expression was definitely not joyful, but a kind of concealed anxiety and sadness, which made many nobles who were good at observing words and expressions feel chills in their hearts.It seemed too late for His Majesty the Dragon King to wake up. Many people couldn't help guessing, what kind of serious injury was it that made King Arthur XII, who had the peak strength of Dou Qi Tianhua, unconscious for three whole days?And this sudden awakening, could it be a flashback of the dying moment?

"Sir Chibe, I request to go with them to meet His Majesty the King." A voice sounded from behind the crowd, and the speaker came out afterward. He was not wearing a helmet, and when he walked out of the crowd, his gaze deliberately avoided Levi Stone's. direction.This approach instead made Li Wei focus on him, and then the Griffin Lord frowned slightly.

The Griffin Lord is no stranger to this person, and for a period of time he has regarded him as a powerful opponent that needs to be taken seriously. He is Count Leonardo of the Stilwell family, a powerful sword-wielding count, and also the king of the kingdom. One of the four major knights, the head of the Lightning Knights.However, the image of the earl is not very good now, his hair is hanging limply on his cheeks, and the dejected look makes his expression even more dejected.

"I'm sorry, Earl Leonardo." Although Sir Qibei said so, he didn't even have the most basic apology in his tone, "His Majesty the Dragon King is weak after being injured, so I can't convey your request for an audience."

"Sir Chibe!" Earl Leonard gritted his teeth and roared, "I, Earl Leonardo Stilwell, is the head of the Nine Pillars family in the kingdom and the head of the Lightning Knights, you have no right to refuse me To meet His Majesty's request!"

"Is the leader of the Lightning Knights? This status is enough to be summoned by His Majesty the King." Sir Qibei asked coldly. "Then please tell me, Lord Count Leonardo, where is your knight order now?"

These words were like a red-hot knife piercing into the chest of Ray Knight Earl Leonard Stilwell, his face suddenly turned as pale as parchment, and the muscles on his face twisted in pain, " Is...is that so, I know...ok...I..." He said something incoherent that he didn't understand the meaning of, then covered his face with his hands, and retreated behind the crowd in embarrassment.

"The Lightning Knights have been wiped out, and the last few non-commissioned officers also died in the battle to defend the outer wall of the Holy White Stone Fort." Earl Ansair explained to Li Wei in a low voice with some sighs, "Live forever? Lost The pillar of the Thunder Knights, and the family members have suffered heavy losses in this war, the Stilwell family may face a difficult juncture, even if it is removed from the Nine Pillars family, it is not surprising."

"But at least this clears up the rumors in the kingdom. The Stilwell family is not in collusion with the devil, they are also the victims of this disaster." Another voice came in, it was a woman wearing a chest patch A middle-aged knight with the golden sunburst emblem of the Lord of Radiance, with a hooked nose and leather-thin lips.

Seeing Levi and Earl Ansair turn their gazes to him, the knight bowed slightly to them, "I am Titos, the Knight of the Holy Light, a humble follower of the Lord of Light, Flandara, and a member of the Temple of the Holy White Stone Castle." Commander of the knights. Salute to you, Honorable Earl of Ansair, and salute to you, Lord Leviston, Lord of the Griffin."

A trace of doubt flashed in Li Wei's eyes. Titos should be a proud person with a high status in the Temple of Glory. Even when he bowed to pay respects, he had a condescending taste. "Lord Titos, thank you for your explanation just now. I always believe that Earl Stilwell is not a traitor to the kingdom. As for the traitor..." Li Wei's eyes flickered, and his voice became sonorous, "I think he must You will not escape the sanction of the kingdom's law!"

"Of course, the Lord of Radiance will never allow such evil and filth to exist in the world. Those who betray the kingdom must accept the salvation of the holy flame. I hope that will not be far away." The Holy Light Titos replied severely, "Li Lord Wei, the Temple of Radiance hopes to carry out this matter with you, so I hope to have a private conversation with you."

"Not now." Sir Qibei who was standing aside pointed out bluntly, "His Majesty the King is preparing to summon Lord Li Wei, the Holy Light Knight Titos, and your conversation must be postponed."

The unceremonious refusal made Titos's expression stiff for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal, "Then, I'll wait for your audience to end here." He greeted Li Wei with his hands on his chest again, and then walked out of the crowd .

"It's really strange." Li Wei shrugged his shoulders and said, a little puzzled, "What is this Holy Light Knight looking for me?"

Earl Ansair's face looked a little serious, "Don't take it lightly." He reminded in a low voice, "The group of fanatics in the Temple of Radiance are much more troublesome than other religions, Li Wei, when you deal with them, you must Be careful with your words, otherwise..."

With the sound of footsteps, Earl Ansair closed his mouth and looked back.Another iron guard knight - Li Wei remembered that he should be called Magellan - appeared in the corridor, with a gray and rigid expression as if he was wearing the iron guard knight's mask. "My lords, His Majesty the King wants to see you immediately, please come with me."

Li Wei and Earl Ansair walked into the gate of the central castle side by side. Due to the tenacious resistance of the defenders of the Holy White Stone Fort, this place has not been defiled by the army of undead.The corridor was long and winding, and the two iron guard knights leading the way were silent, only the clang of iron boots hitting the ground could be heard; two fully armed ashen knights stood facing each other at intervals on both sides of the corridor, When they saw everyone coming, they all lowered their heads wearing full-face helmets, expressing their inner respect in this posture.

Of course, the object of these tributes will only be the Griffin Lord Li Weiston.

Earl Ansair sighed silently. Although he was the head of one of the Nine Pillar families of the kingdom, the powerful Earl with Sword and the uncrowned king of the northern counties, he had never enjoyed such treatment.The Knights of Ashes are His Majesty's loyal shields and sharp spears, and they don't pretend to be polite to anyone, except for the royal family of Arthur, no matter whether it is the important ministers of the kingdom, the powerful knights or the sheriff, it is impossible for them to show even the slightest respect Come.

Two iron guard knights stopped in front of a wooden door with a golden sunburst emblem, "Your Majesty is inside, please wait a moment, I will report." Sir Magellan said softly, and then pushed the door open. wooden door.

"Guardian of the North, Sword Dancer Ricardo Earl of Ansair; Guardian of the Northern Frontier, Lord of Griffins, Viscount Leviston, Knight of the Blood Alliance." Sir Magellan's deep voice then sounded from inside the door, "Your Majesty, they It's here."

"Let them in..." said Arthur XII, in a very low voice.

Levi and Earl Ansair walked into the room. The fire was burning in the fireplace, and a royal servant knelt by the fire to add firewood. The air seemed a bit cloudy and stuffy, and mixed with a strange rust-like smell.His Majesty the Dragon King of the Kingdom of Arthur was half leaning on a special bed, and the Marquis Osiris, who was wearing aristocratic casual clothes, was bending over his body, listening to Arthur XII's orders.On the other side of the room were four iron guard knights standing with their swords on their shoulders. Sir Magellan who had just come in to report was also among them.

Perhaps it was the sound of the door opening that made King Arthur XII aware. Lying on the bed, he raised his arms laboriously, motioning for Levi and Earl Ansair to approach.The two then walked to the bed and watched as Marquis Osiris lifted half of the blanket covering His Majesty the King.

"Your Majesty... what... what's going on?" Li Wei could hardly find his voice, and beside him, Earl Ansair's face also turned pale.

His Majesty Arthur XII was originally a burly middle-aged man, but now he looks very thin, as if the muscles formed after rigorous training have disappeared without a trace. When Li Wei saw him just now, he even thought he was lying on the ground. On the bed is a mummy that has been dried for many years.Several sword wounds had festered into pieces on his abdomen, and the ointment applied on the wounds exuded a strong smell of spicy wine, but it still couldn't cover up the stench and sweet smell of rotting flesh and blood.

"The wound is festering, and how could it be so serious?" Li Wei cried out in disbelief, "Who treated the wound for His Majesty the King? Where have all the priests gone? How can such a big Holy White Stone Fort even Can't you find a priest who can cast healing spells?"

Of course, Li Wei's questioning was not pleasant, but the Knights of the Iron Guard obviously didn't care about his impoliteness. Marquis Osiris smiled wryly, put down the blanket, and explained in a low voice: "Your Majesty has been hiding his injury until Lexington." After the breakout at Dunton Bridge, when His Majesty fell off his horse and developed a high fever, we learned that he had been badly wounded on the night of terror."

"You mean, His Majesty the King was injured that night?" Earl Ansair said in shock, "How is it possible, His Majesty didn't appear on the battlefield last, and there are you Iron Guard knights around to protect you?" ?”

"Your Majesty was not injured by the hands of the devil, but by the sword of the shameful traitor!" The voice of Marquis Osiris was full of uncontrollable anger. His injuries were far from healed, and he coughed violently when he got angry When he got up, his fair face was flushed, and it took him a long time to calm down.

"None of the doctors and clerics of the king's army in the middle road survived the demon's pursuit, so we didn't find a priest who could treat His Majesty until the Holy White Stone Fort. It was Archbishop Mystra who cast the highest level of light magic, but he could barely contain the injury and prevent it from getting worse..." Marquis Osiris' voice was as low as a whisper at the end, but both Levi and Earl Ansair I have fully understood what he meant.

"It's scary, isn't it..." Seeing the expressions of Li Wei and Earl Ansair, King Arthur XII shook the corners of his mouth and showed a difficult smile, "I also feel terrible, so let them put the things in the room The mirrors are all taken out... Earl Ansair, my brother-in-law, tell me... They say that the coalition forces of the demons and the dead have suffered a serious setback... Is this true?"

"It's true, Your Majesty." Earl Ansair replied, "The nearly [-] undead army has almost been wiped out. Although there are still thousands of vampires and wraiths who managed to escape, there are no organizations to sue the dead. Infestation; the demon army also suffered a disastrous defeat, at most only half of them were able to escape the pursuit of the Griffon Knights, four castle-like Commander's Palaces were captured, and one was destroyed together with its master."

"A...victory, right?" Arthur XII gasped violently, a blush of excitement appeared on his face, "We won the final victory...right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we have won a great victory." Sir Magellan interjected, "The corpses and ashes left by those enemies are full of pits, even those who personally led the death squads and killed the commander of the demon army with their own hands. His Majesty the Conqueror King Gonitz has never done such a great feat."

"I... saw it, the pillar of fire that soared into the sky, the griffin flying all over the sky... and you, Levi Stone... the hero who rescued the kingdom from danger." Arthur XII's voice gradually He lowered his voice, "How should I reward you...for your immortal feats...the title of Earl? Or more..."

"Your Majesty, please take care of your body. Lord Li Wei's achievements will not disappear. You will have time to repay him at any time, but you must rest now." Sir Magellan hurried up to persuade him.

"Rest... No, don't be so anxious. I know how serious my injury is. I'm afraid it won't take long before I will rest forever." Arthur XII's spirit was obviously weak, but he still struggled to smile , "I only have one hope now, that I can take care of all the remaining matters before stepping into the Kingdom of Eternal Sleep... Sir Lulula... take a pen and paper..."

"At your command at any time, Your Majesty the King." A well-mannered iron guard knight came up, holding a quill and a roll of parchment in his hand.

"Listen to what I said, you write it all...write it down..." Arthur XII gasped for a while, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I...Feder Adams, the Dragon King of the Kingdom of Arthur, made a decree...I hereby appoint the Guardian of the North, the Lord of the Griffin, and Viscount Leviston as the Kingdom's important ministers, in order to reward him for his great achievements in the Holy White Rock Castle...Here The order takes effect immediately. Levi Stern, I want you...to assist the royal family in governing the country, and to establish the Griffin Knights to guard the northern border of the kingdom. The Ston family...will replace the Stilwell family as one of the nine pillars of the kingdom, Inherited from generation to generation!"

(End of this chapter)