The Journey of the Demon Hunter

"Tomorrow at nine o'clock, come back at nine o'clock!"

"Wait, a demon hunter? Who?"

Suddenly, another voice came from the tower. Soon, a knight wearing a helmet appeared among the battlements. He glanced at Zelin and waved back: "Open the city gate, he is not a spy for the Nilfgaards."

In the flames, Zelin noticed that the knight took off his helmet, revealing Marshal Natali's cheeks: "You are late, demon hunter."

The streets of Island are full of heavily armed soldiers.

"This is Tamoria's last regular army." Natalis and Zelin walked along the stone-paved streets: "There are guerrillas everywhere, but we can't provide any help for the guerrillas. You are Demon hunters, the Nilfgaards will not investigate you either. Can you help us pass the news to the guerrillas in other places?"

"I'm a demon hunter, marshal, demon hunters have always been neutral, and the same was true in the last North-South war."

Natalis glanced at Zelin: "Well, although I don't think that when the Nilfgaards see a fisherman join the guerrillas, they will announce the killing of all the fishermen. Your Majesty wants to see you, and A messenger was sent to Thor Tisha. Have you finally decided to settle in the South?"

"It's not the south, it's a place far from the war." Zelin sighed: "Although many people know that there will be many monsters during the war, but in reality. War will cause people to be displaced. Everyone has no money. Who will hire hunters? Demon Hunter? But this does not mean that we have left the north, just like me, still staying here. I met Taler in Vizima and he told me about it."

"How is Taler's situation?"

"Yes, so is Roche. Many of Willen's villages support the guerrillas."

Natalis has been patrolling the streets, listening to reports from the general and checking the lines of defense. Yesterday, he had just returned from the fortress in the south.

"I know that during the last Nilfgaard war, the Nilfgad people treated Foden like this, and it only took one winter. There were rioting farmers everywhere in Fodden. The Nilfgadian people will never Ken learns the lesson." Natalis leaned his forehead: "Have you seen them in Nilfgard's barracks? I heard rumors that some deserters appeared among them?"

"I don't know about this." Zelin shook his head: "I rarely deal with people in the barracks, but they seem to be very nervous. According to their words, the farmers can cause riots at any time."

"I knew it." Natalis shrugged: "Now the war has entered the most painful stage. All of this no longer depends on the battlefield. In other words, the battlefield will only affect a small part. Materials, supplies, food, military payments, There is only one thing now, and that is to drag it down. The line of defense has reached a stalemate, and it can only be dragged until one side collapses."

"After all, you can't defeat the empire head-on on the battlefield. Please forgive me, Marshal. No matter how chaotic the rear of the Nilfgaards looks, according to the current Temorian army, you cannot win on the field battlefield."

Natalis's face showed no anger after being offended.

"As a commander, the first lesson you learn is not to be influenced by your personal emotions on your judgment on the battlefield." Natalis waved his hand: "I know that there are only 1,500 soldiers in Island City today. The total number of soldiers in the southern fortress and the northern pass is only five hundred. The Nilfgaards can’t wait to hope that we will get out of the city wall, leave the fortifications, and go to the wild to die."

Zelin sighed lightly.

"Why does your Majesty want to see me?" He asked, "Do you know? Taler didn't tell me, he said he didn't know."

"The spy rarely told the truth." Natalis spread his hands, and they stopped in front of the moat of the city wall. This was once the castle of the Duke of Sheward. After the White Rose Knights were eliminated and the Lomune Summit failed, the Duke of Sheward became ill and died in the winter. Today, the owner of the castle is Sheward II, who is a supporter of Foltest: "I don't know why your Majesty wants to summon you, but you will know when you go in. I have to listen to the patrolmen. Report."

"I understand."

Zelin nodded.

Seeing the back of Marshal Natalis leaving, Zelin sighed lightly, and walked into the royal castle under the gaze of the two castle guards.

Chapter 2352 The King's Request

A guard guided the demon hunter into the castle.

Compared with Vizima's royal castle, Island's royal castle looks relatively shabby. Going up the spiral staircase, there are not many guards on either side. Most of the soldiers were engaged in defensive work and patrols. Zelin only saw two guards holding halberds at the door to avoid letting unrelated personnel enter.

Magic brought an unbearable burden to his body. When Zelin saw Foltest, he immediately came to this conclusion. His cheeks are brown, but there are deep black wrinkles on them. The hair on the temples turned gray, the heavy armor pressed against his shoulders, and the iron crown was placed on the black wooden armchair. Foltest looked at the map in front of him. A man dressed as a general stood opposite him. Several soldiers' chess pieces were placed on the map.

"...Dorndale had two Nilfgaard cavalry squadrons entering the city the night before. It is conservatively estimated that there are about three hundred men." The general explained, while using the control stick to push a knight chess piece onto the map. The place where the words Dondell read: "Commander Dunn of Badov has summoned two hundred farmers. He is going to sink the ship, block the river, and prevent the Nilfgaards from attacking the fortress from the river."

"Badov must be reinforced." Foltest's control rod clicked on the place where the fortress was marked on the map: "We must call in new men."

"Your Majesty, our manpower is stretched."

"Then reduce the troops in other places. We can put one soldier in Badov and we can contain three men in black. As long as the fortress of the mountain pass is still there, the men in black will not dare to attack Ailand with all their strength. Believe me, they Without enough troops, when Willen and La Varetti confronted the Ridanians, they could also mobilize soldiers who could encircle Ailand and Badov." Foltest shook his head slightly: " Otherwise, it is impossible for Ladovide to take the initiative to counterattack in Willen when they attacked Aland a year ago. The patrols on the street don't need so many, so they can mobilize some more people."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Notify the factory to speed up. I hope that before the next attack by the men in black, there is a ballista on standby on each tower."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Thank you for your effort, Sir Horsley."

"Work for you, Your Majesty."

The general bowed to the king, and when he passed the demon hunter, he glanced at Zelin from under his helmet, then raised his chest and strode out of the castle.

"Devil hunter, I heard that the man in black also brought you some trouble." Foltest leaned on the edge of the table and walked to the throne, picked up the crown, put it on the strategic table, and then sat down heavily. Fingers rubbed the corners of his eyes and sighed: "You won't really move to the south, will you?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty. The academy has left. For the apprentice, it is better to stay in a safe place."

"Yes, young people, I don't have so much experience, and I don't know how to deal with troubles. People have to grow up, but it's a pity that most young people die of self-righteousness before they grow into talents." Foltais Te's voice was full of exhaustion, as if he had exhausted his strength just by walking and standing on the table: "Then, you are still staying at Mahakam?"

"I lived there for a while, if I give up suddenly, I'm afraid I will be reluctant."

"No one can bear to leave the environment where they have lived for a long time." He put down his hand, blinked his eyes, bloodshot on his eyes: "But I can stay here thanks to your help to solve Seeward, the White Rose Knights gave He has a lot of confidence, otherwise I’m afraid I won’t be able to master this duchy soon after losing Vizima. Did you come from the south?"

"No."

"Unfortunately, I still want to ask you about Maribo."

"There is no other news from Maribo." Zelin recalled for a few seconds and said confidently: "I haven't heard any news from Maribo."

"Oh, it seems that Jurcaster is still alive?" Foltest leaned back on the backrest and exhaled slowly: "You may not know. In peace, I don't like these relatives at all. Sheward, Jurkastor, they are all my cousins, potential peepers of the throne. But when the war started, I was worried about whether they were hanged on the gallows."

Zelin looked at Foltest and still didn't understand what the king wanted to say.

"Your side is safe now, right."

"It should be considered safe." Zelin pondered his vocabulary in his mind: "But recently I have encountered some troubles, wild hunting, and the demon spirit knight has appeared again."

"If it weren't for you to stand in front of me, I would definitely think that you were prevaricating me with trickery lies in the market." Foltest was silent for a few seconds, and he slowly stood up: "I haven't received it recently. Report of the Floating Port being attacked by the Demon Spirit Knight. I don’t know if the Demon Spirit Knight will attack your castle immediately, but the man in black will soon bring the warlock and the trebuchet to my castle."

"The situation of the man in black doesn't seem to be so good either."

Zelin followed Foltest into the garden behind the castle. There are few servants in the castle, only a few guards.

"The situation of the people in black is terrible, because their logistical front is too long. Soldiers to officers are busy dividing up the wealth of the occupied area, so they are not in the mood to continue head-on with us." Foltest said. Action: "If it weren't for defeating them before they regained their morale and fighting spirit, there would be no hope of victory in this war."

"There are only three thousand people here, but only need to defend Ailand to the Badov line. There are thirty thousand people in black, but the line of defense has to be pulled from Willen all the way to Dorndale, and there must be enough soldiers to guard. Occupied area."

"The war is not paper data. I have to win, but if I win, Enshir will take the initiative to retreat." Foltest paused: "I bet that Enshir is now busy revising me. After I get it back, I have to be busy removing the man in black sign. Okay, enough chats and complaints, let’s get to the point, Demon Hunter. This war is possible for me If I win, I may lose, but I have to fight. I must not leave my daughter with the status of a subjugated princess, and Tamoria must not be destroyed in my hands. But I can't let her risk staying on the front line. As far as I know, as long as it is not surrendering, the men in black will not retain members of the royal family."

"I'm listening, Your Majesty."

"This winter, a friend of yours has been protecting Aneth. I can't separate the energy and enough manpower. This year's situation is more dangerous than last year. You can take her away."

"Are you sure, Your Majesty?"

"Take her out of here." Foltest sighed heavily: "If I win, let her return to the throne. If I lose, train her to be a hunter like your friend. "