Heart of the Castle

Chapter 514 Negotiations Break Down, Wrath of the Griffin
After Grand Duke Raul became regent, the round table meeting room underwent a thorough tidying up. All the original luxurious decorations were removed, all the exquisite tapestries and silks were removed, and some of the ornaments that had not yet had time to be transported were in disarray. Stacked in the corner.The walls of the entire ancient hall are now desolate, only the exquisitely carved round table and the family coat of arms of the twelve knights of the round table remain the same.

Grand Duke Raul was sitting on the extravagant and large chair that belonged to him as usual, but there was no Grand Princess Sheila sitting beside him, and the beautiful maids were also gone without a trace. Instead, there were two rows of fully armed The Ember Knight.Sir Magellan, one of the Seven Iron Guards, was sitting on the high-backed chair next to Grand Duke Raul, with a serious face, and he was talking with Grand Duke Raul in a low voice.

Seeing Director Bamilian walk into the round table meeting room, Grand Duke Raul signaled the conversation to stop temporarily, and then sat up straight. "That's great, the envoy of our kingdom has returned." His tone seemed very relaxed, as if he didn't care whether the news brought back by Manager Bamilian was good or bad. "Let me tell you, Majesty of the Court, what kind of answer did the Kingslayer give to my peace terms?"

"The Griffin Lord rejected all the conditions you proposed, but he did not completely reject peace, but asked me to bring you his conditions." Speaking of this, Chief Bamilian paused for a moment, with wet eyes Glancing at Sir Magellan, he suggested in a soft voice, "His Royal Highness, the next words should be classified as confidential. Do you need some people to avoid them?"

Grand Duke Raul looked majestically at Chief Bamilian, as if he wanted to squeeze out his hidden true thoughts from the eunuch, but Chief Bamilian's smiling mask was too perfect.The silence lasted for a minute, then Archduke Raul raised his hand and waved it, commanding in a deep voice, "Everyone back down, and at the same time tell the nobles waiting outside that the time for the Regent to receive them today is over. "

The Ember Knights kowtowed and left the meeting room in a neat line. Sir Magellan also got up to leave, but Grand Duke Raul raised his hand again, "No, Sir Magellan, you stay." Wait until the round table meeting room When the door was tightly closed again, Grand Duke Raul looked at Sir Magellan with admiring eyes, "You have been loyal to me much earlier than my brother, and I have no secrets to hide from you. "

"It's my honor." The iron guard knight replied in a respectful voice.

Manager Bamili Yang's eyes fluctuated slightly, but he calmed down in the blink of an eye. "His Royal Highness, I'm very sorry." He said, "I failed to persuade Levi Stern to surrender to you, but I have completed the other two tasks you gave me very well."

"You did a good job." Grand Duke Raul raised his hand and twisted his gray beard, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, outlining a satisfied arc. "So Lord Kissinger has died at the hands of Levi Ston? Now, that old fox of Sach Enhell will be on my side, right? The guards around the Griffon Lord have also detected it. ?"

"Partly, after all, as an envoy of the kingdom, I can't bring too many people to test it out. In less than 2 minutes, more than a dozen regular knights of the Royal Guard Army were all killed by personality, and there were no more than three people who did it. Director Bamilian Yang said with a look of reminiscence, "Lord Kissinger was subsequently killed by Knight Dragoons in a one-on-one fair fight. His chest was pierced with a big hole by the epee, but the counterattack only scratched it. A bit of skin off the opponent's shoulder."

Grand Duke Raul picked up the crystal glass at hand and took a sip of the crystal clear summer red wine in the glass, "Although Lord Kissinger's strength is mediocre, he is a Lord with a sword who possesses the power of vindictiveness after all. It is impossible for ordinary people to kill him easily. Him. Who is this Dragoonsun who can kill him in a one-on-one fight?"

"Draconson was one of Levi's earliest subordinates in Northern County. He once participated in the battle to kill Lord Demon; A group of people including Sugard supported Li Wei as the interim military leader; they also participated in the battle where the Griffin troops raided the devil's lair on the old Sir Volcano, which can be said to have made great contributions." Director Bamili Yang casually said that Dragunson The knight's information shows that he has a precise grasp of Li Wei's important personnel, "However, according to the previous information, this Dragonson knight is just a high-level knight with amazing brute force, and his fighting spirit is even at the level of Sanhua. He didn't even reach it. In the defense battle of the Thousand Miles of Ice Wall in Heihe, because of his bravery in fighting, he unexpectedly comprehended the fighting spirit Tianhua. Although he hasn't gone to the Knights Association for certification, but from the perspective of strength, he should have reached the title of knight s level."

"Can a title knight cut down a lord with swords in a one-on-one duel?" asked Sir Magellan incredulously.

"That depends on the quality of the Lord with the sword." Director Bamilian replied with a smile: "Master Magellan, you may have heard that our star mentor who is famous for his stinginess always has two swords around him." There are two kinds of gold coins, one is the gold dragon coin minted during the reign of the former king, which is of high purity and value; Although the weight of red copper is heavier, the value is not even half of the gold dragon coin. Every time he pays the bill, he shows the merchant a golden dragon, and if the stupid merchant nods in agreement, he will pay for it next time. Those who go out are all city bricks. But who can say that our star mentor has not paid the bill?"

This legend about how stingy the stellar mentor is has been circulating in the capital for a long time, and Sir Magellan certainly heard of it, "The stellar mentor Sach Enhell tends to His Royal Highness the Regent." He said in a cold tone, "My lord, what you want What does this unverified legend have to do with the death of Lord Kissinger?"

"Because it's not just gold coins, there are also gold dragons and city bricks among knights." Director Bamilian said cautiously, "Master Magellan, your knight title is also Lord with Sword, but you don't think that Lord Kissinger Can it be compared to you?"

"Ten seconds!" Sir Magellan announced contemptuously, "If Lord Kissinger dares to hold his sword at each other, I only need ten seconds to cut him into square pieces like cheese."

"So he is a genuine city brick, and you are an out-and-out golden dragon." Director Bamilian said in a slightly flattering tone, "Unfortunately, what he encountered in the Griffon Lord was also a golden dragon, although It's worth less than you."

"You made a good joke, my lord, you made a good joke." Grand Duke Raul shook his head with a happy expression, but Director Bamilian, who was good at observing words and expressions, found that there was no smile in his eyes. "Isn't the Royal Guards just a pile of worthless city bricks? However, although these city bricks are cheap, the quantity is quite considerable. Li Wei may not be able to pose any threat to me with the few golden dragons in his hand." Bar?"

"Father God, the news I heard from His Royal Highness the Prince Regent really makes me feel very lucky as a poor man." Director Bamili Yang cried out with joy, and at the same time clapped his fat and fat palms in front of him. After a while, "In this case, I don't have to repeat the outrageously harsh peace conditions proposed by the Griffon Lord. Your Royal Highness, if you have no other orders, please allow me to retire."

"Wait a minute, my lord." Grand Duke Raul called the court steward before he turned to leave, and then stared at him meaningfully for a full minute before slowly speaking: "No, the taste of peace is for those who are suffering from disasters. The kingdom of Arthur is so precious that as long as there is a glimmer of hope, it should be firmly grasped. My lord, please repeat the peace conditions proposed by Levi Ston verbatim, let me listen to this How insolent and insolent a regicide can be."

Director Bamilian only showed the slightest sarcasm at the corner of his mouth, and then disappeared without a trace, "I obey, Your Royal Highness, but I don't think you will like to hear those conditions."

Although Grand Duke Raul's order was to repeat the conditions proposed by Li Weiston verbatim, but Director Bamilian knew very well that if he really reported it like that, what kind of bad result would he get? The head eunuch used ingenious language skills Greatly weakened those blunt words, but when he finished the three conditions proposed by Li Wei, it still made Grand Duke Raul's face turn ashen.

"It's ridiculous, it sounds like he thinks I'm the real kingslayer?" Grand Duke Raul laughed loudly, but the two rows of white teeth opened and closed seemed to be chewing someone's flesh and blood, making him Manager Bamilian couldn't help shrinking his shoulders, and Sir Magellan, despite his resolute character, couldn't help but twitched his cheeks a few times for this terrible smile.

"Your Highness the Regent, the peace conditions relayed by the Chief of the Court are certainly ridiculous, but there is also a hidden threat from the Griffin Lord." Sir Magellan said solemnly, causing the laughter of Grand Duke Raul to echo in the round table meeting room to stop.

"I am sitting in a strong city with great power in my hands. The rich and nobles in the capital have surrendered unanimously before me; I have three powerful armed forces under my command, the Royal Guard, the Dreadfort Jailer, and the Knights of Ashes. The Holy White Stone The command of the garrison of the fort has also fallen into the hands of the Death Knights who are allied with me..." Grand Duke Raul said a series of names with great ambition, and then looked at the iron guard knights with a provocative smile, "Sir Magellan, please Tell me, why does Levi Stern threaten me? Just relying on the dozens of knights who died around him?"

"I cannot answer your question on behalf of the Kingslayer, Your Highness the Regent." Sir Magellan bowed his head in apology, but when he raised his head, his lips stubbornly pursed into a twisted purple-black line. "But the Kingslayer is not alone and helpless. The troops stationed at the Great Wall of Ice are his most loyal and capable subordinates, and those little birds you mentioned are enough to turn Firmeyer into a sea of ​​flames."

"Turn Philmeyer into a sea of ​​flames?" Grand Duke Raul repeated angrily, "Sir Magellan, the high walls of the City of Glory have withstood the severe test of the demon army, even if tens of thousands of demons besieged it, they could not overcome it. Can Weston do better than them?"

"You know, Holy White Rock Castle, I saw it with my own eyes. The letter that Archbishop Mistra asked me to bring to you gave a detailed description of the scene at that time." Sir Magellan replied with a firm and forceful voice, but inside There is a very subtle panic hidden, even the master of observing words and expressions, Director Bamilian, can only capture some very vague feelings.

"That letter, ha, is that prophecy book full of words such as the arrival of the end of the world and the arrival of the last angel?" Grand Duke Raul curled his lips in disdain, "It can only be said that the rice of the Holy White Stone Fort Archbishop Stella is already a complete fanatic, may the Father forgive him for his madness, although he was already crazy enough before this."

"His Royal Highness, Li Weiston is definitely a tougher opponent than you imagined. I hope you don't take it lightly. The anger of the Griffin Lord is not so easy to bear..."

Grand Duke Raul interrupted him impatiently with a wave of his hand, "I have never underestimated Li Weiston, but there is no need to be afraid of him. Sir Magellan, if you have not forgotten, I am the one who controls the military and political power of the kingdom now, And even if Levi Stern can mobilize the defenders of the Ice Wall to the limit, he can only gather 2000 troops."

The mustache on Sir Magellan's lips trembled, as if he had something to say, but Grand Duke Raul was no longer willing to listen. "Okay, Sir Magellan, I will take your guess about Levi Ston's strength into consideration, but now I want to listen to other people's suggestions. Please go and inform the butler to prepare a sumptuous banquet. I want to meet with you at noon. The Lord Chancellor will dine with you and Sir Al-Adir."

Grand Duke Raul's tone was not harsh, but the meaning in the words was undeniable. Sir Magellan stood up, gave a knight's chest salute in the most standard posture, and then walked away with strong steps. He could feel The eyes of Manager Bamili Yang followed him until he opened the door of the round table meeting room.

"Your Highness the Regent, Sir Magellan's words are actually quite reasonable. He once witnessed the kingslayer show off his power in the Holy White Rock Castle. It is not difficult to understand that he is full of fear." The sweet and thin voice of the director Bamilian sounded, as if from the past. The poisoned sharp arrow shot from behind made Sir Magellan's movements stiff.He was trembling with anger, and subconsciously pressed his right hand on the hilt of his waist.

"But you don't have to blame him for this, because not everyone can be as resolute and strong-willed as you, even the loyal and brave Iron Guard Knights are no exception." The voice of Director Bamili Yang continued, and then Grand Duke Raul's delighted deep laughter sounded.

"What a vicious sycophant!" Sir Magellan cursed in his heart, and strode out of the door of the round table meeting room.He has served Archduke Raul for 13 years. Before he put on this gray cloak, he was quite familiar with the character of the prince. The laughter just now clearly showed the attitude of Grand Duke Raul: the Grand Duke appreciates and The intelligence of the eunuch in charge of the palace is needed, and others are not allowed to question it.

At least he was not allowed to question it.

The two doors closed again, blocking the rest of the sound behind him. Sir Magellan quickly walked to the nearest window opening, took a deep breath of the cold winter air, and then calmed down the fluctuating anger in his chest. Suppress it. "Your Excellency, I hope you will not be dazzled by the victory in front of you..." A bitter sigh escaped from Sir Magellan's mouth, and then disappeared in the air.

Bamilian, the head of the palace, only left the mansion of the regent, the Grand Duke Raul Adams, in the evening. The content of the secret conversation between the two during this time is not known, but afterward, several cavalrymen rushed from the mansion to various places. .According to the order, Philmeyer will impose a curfew from now on: After sunset, landmark buildings including the Radiant Cathedral, Ashes Fortress, and the Tower of the Archmage will ring the alarm bell. The patrol team will be dispatched immediately to arrest anyone who dares to continue to stay in the streets and alleys. Civilians will be thrown into black jails without interrogation, and even the rich and nobles must come up with enough credible explanations before they can be released.

At the same time, the guards of the royal capital strengthened the security of the various gates of Philmeyer, prohibiting all personnel from entering and exiting. The giant ballistas and catapults that had not been used for a long time were pushed to the top of the city, and the shooting angle was adjusted to the highest; hundreds of soldiers The jailers of Dreadfort formed a patrol team of 20 people, patrolling the city wall all night, always on guard against attacks from outside the city; The members are in a state of fully armed combat.

However, all these measures were in vain. After Li Weiston proposed the peace conditions that Grand Duke Raul would never accept, he did not take any action for three days, as if he suddenly disappeared.This made Grand Duke Raul quite uneasy, and the implementation of the curfew made many people dissatisfied. Firmeyer's prison is already full of civilians and ruined nobles who violated the curfew, and more prisoners are still coming. Constantly sent over; Viscount Ansalon, the commander of the Royal Guard Army, also began to complain about the pressure from more and more wealthy and nobles. After all, only a few of those who ignore the law are ignorant civilians, and most of them have A background that is not easy to provoke.

The pressure increased day by day with the passage of time, and on the third day, the voices of protest from various channels had forced Grand Duke Raul to pay attention.Due to the existence of the curfew, the nobles in the royal capital lost a considerable part of their drinking and entertainment opportunities, which also caused many taverns and brothels to suffer from low business.Closing the city gate further reduced the flow of materials into the capital, which made the market that was already expensive due to the evil disaster even worse. Many families who were originally well-off had to sell their property in exchange for food. A Golden Dragon Coin often You can buy utensils and utensils that can only be bought in dozens of pieces, but when you change them into food, you can only buy tens of catties of grits or buckwheat flour ground together with chaff.

It is not just the common people who feel this threat, many small and medium nobles also complain about it, even the big nobles are no exception.At the routinely held court meeting, Star Mentor Satzien Hell implicitly expressed his dissatisfaction with the curfew and the order to close the city gates. Cardinal Enoch Sebasta described it as a terrible disaster caused by man.However, no one is as hot-tempered as Fire Wizard Juno Ameriste. He pointed out bluntly that if the curfew continues, the Mage Guild will have to withdraw its support for the Regent and seek other solutions.

Of course, this threatening attitude made Grand Duke Raul very dissatisfied, but he is a smart man after all, and he immediately realized that this incident was causing a growing rift between him and his allies, and this rift may be precisely Li Weston is happy to see it come true!
"It turns out that I am still afraid of him deep in my heart, afraid of this little griffin that has lost its claws and wings!" Grand Duke Raul suddenly realized that no matter whether it is a curfew or closing the city gate, there is no way to solve Li Weiston's treatment of him. Instead, the threat weakened his ability to control the capital.

However, Grand Duke Raul woke up too late. Before he could send out the messenger to cancel the curfew and leave the gate of the mansion, a horse's hooves sounded suddenly. war horse.

"I am Knight Sean, the deputy head of the Fourth Regiment of the King's Guard Army. There is an emergency situation at the north gate. I must see His Royal Highness the Prince Regent immediately!"

Grand Duke Raul appeared surrounded by a dozen guards. He saw that the knight was in a state of distress, his face was covered with dust, and his expression was stiff and pale from exhaustion and fear.There was also a broken feathered arrow sticking out of the knight's left shoulder, and the cluster of arrows was deeply embedded in the steel armor and leather, blood had already stained half of his body red.

"His Royal Highness is here." Lord Canjian Al-Adir announced loudly, and at the same time stepped forward, blocking his body between the knight and Grand Duke Raul, "Do you have any urgent military situation that you need to report in person?"

"The north gate was attacked... we suffered heavy losses, and the regiment leader was seriously injured... we must get reinforcements immediately... immediately..." the knight gasped for breath while speaking intermittently.

"So, the little griffin has finally lost its composure and is ready to have a real confrontation with us?" Grand Duke Raul showed real joy on his face, as well as an exaggerated expression of pretending regret, "Young people are always impulsive, and they must have more courage than wisdom. In fact, considering his age and his usual performance, three days is already too long." He turned his head and looked at the knight who reported, "Will you Reinforcements will be received soon. Tell me now, how many enemies are there in attacking the North Gate, and have they unfurled the Griffon banner?"

"It's too dark, no one can see clearly." The knight said in a low voice, and the next words made Grand Duke Raul's joy disappear from his face, replaced by a horrified mouth. "However, the number of troops attacking the North Gate will definitely not be less than [-], and there are hundreds of flags flying above their heads! Apart from the blue-and-white griffin flags, there are also white flags that can be recognized. Wolf heads, burning volcanoes, green oaks, steel-armored giant fists, broken shackles and red flame wheels, and many unrecognizable flags. Your Royal Highness, it is simply a sea of ​​flags. What we are facing is not Only Griffon Lord Levi Ston, but the entire Northern County!"

(End of this chapter)