The stars, but they become the gray wind

"What is it, Your Excellency?"

"It'll be a while... Don't worry... You'll know soon." Carlisle glanced at the time on the wall clock and said slowly.

"So what exactly do you want to say, Your Excellency?" But the Duke of Normandy was obviously getting restless.

"First, Duke of Normandy, I want to ask you a question."

"You hold the highest authority over most of the armed forces in the Kingdom of Albion, right?"

"Yes... What exactly do you want to express, Your Excellency?"

"As the head of the Kingdom's Ministry of Internal Affairs, you have absolute control and the right to know about all armed forces deployments within the Kingdom. However... the power you can truly control is limited to the Kingdom itself, isn't it?"

"Because the Kingdom's colonies are spread all over the world, it is impossible for the Kingdom to effectively govern and monitor the military forces of these colonies. Therefore, the Kingdom can only adopt a decentralized approach to these colonial military forces. The governors of each colony are almost equivalent to warlords who hold their own troops, but since most of them are from the Kingdom itself, they are more loyal to the Kingdom."

"Ultimately, the kingdom's control over its colonies is often limited to a few areas, including taxation. As long as the vast majority of colonies can pay taxes on time and provide cheap raw materials for the kingdom's domestic industrial system, the governors of those colonies effectively have complete control over the colonies they control."

"The only reason most of these governors still consider themselves part of the kingdom and obey orders from the kingdom itself is that most of them are powerful nobles from the kingdom itself. Because of their origins, they are extremely loyal to the kingdom and the aristocratic system they represent."

"Duke of Normandy, don't forget that the kingdom has no real jurisdiction over the colonies. The governors are essentially warlords and feudal lords in their own colonies. They can even run rampant within their own colonies. The kingdom itself will turn a blind eye to this, as it is unable to reach the distant colonies."

"Given that each governor is essentially a feudal warlord or lord with their own army, what would these independent governors, with their own independent armies, do if the political situation within the kingdom destabilizes?"

"Launch a rebellion?" The Duke of Normandy replied silently.

"You are close to the answer, Duke of Normandy, but... it's still not right."

"And...rebellion? Haha...would that do any good to those governors?"

"Think carefully, Duke of Normandy. Of all the colonies in the kingdom, which possesses the most powerful military force?"

"Richard? But he's already under my control. As long as I hold him as the actual leader of the New World Army, his army will remain leaderless."

"The armies of the New World were able to gather and maintain their morale thanks to his prestige. As long as I continue to control Richard, his troops will not dare to act rashly."

"Hehe...hahahahaha..." Hearing what the Duke of Normandy said, Carisi suddenly laughed.

"What's wrong... May I ask what you find so funny?"

"Duke of Normandy... you're quite adept at handling domestic affairs and internal cleansing... but if we were to encounter a war, your ideas would be like a scholar encountering a soldier, unable to explain themselves."

"I have to admit, you're so stupid in this regard that it's almost adorable. Are you really so naive as to think that as long as you control and imprison Richard, the leader and actual ruler of the New World Army, Richard's men won't dare to take action?"

"You underestimate the ruthlessness of the armies that have been fighting in the New World for years, and Richard's trusted subordinates. As an army that has been fighting the indigenous people in the New World for years, they robbed the indigenous people of their supplies, burned their houses, and took their land."

"Duke of Normandy, can your security forces and gendarmerie withstand such an experienced army that has no moral principles when fighting?"

"I'm pretty sure that once these guys come to power, they'll probably quickly use the same tactics they used against the Native Americans in the New World on their own citizens, right?"

"Are you trying to say...Richard's men are planning to launch a coup regardless of Richard?" Thinking of this possibility that he had never considered before, the Duke of Normandy's stern face also showed a hint of shock.

"Richard is the most prestigious of all the colonial governors, and he also has the strongest military. Many of his subordinates firmly believe that he can help reform the kingdom. Now that Prince Edward is gone, it's natural that his knowledge will be used to help Richard become the emperor."

"Even if he doesn't want to, he has to be willing. His trusted subordinates will find ways to push him onto the throne, no matter what means..."

"Duke of Normandy, you're still too naive in this regard...Humans are extremely complex beings emotionally. Do you think you can predict every move Richard and his men will make next? That's obviously impossible."

"And big trouble is about to come for that royal family."

"That's right, Duke of Normandy... What's coming next is a coup d'état you never expected."

"It's just that it seems there's still some time now. We still have some time to talk slowly."

"By the way, I know you are in a hurry, but don't be anxious. Staying in this room and not moving around is the best choice. Staying in this room and watching this drama with me is the best and safest choice. Otherwise, I can't guarantee that your life can be saved." Carisi said with a harmless smile.

At nine o'clock in the morning, as the clock hands reached nine, at the command of several trusted generals of Richard in the New Continental Army, thousands of soldiers armed with live ammunition rushed into several key facilities in London.

At an aerial battleship dock near the Imperial Palace, a docked aerial battleship was suddenly surrounded by thousands of soldiers who stormed the ship. The small contingent of Royal Military Police originally assigned to guard the ship was also apprehended. Under the command of a trusted aide, Richard, the New World Army quickly took control of the ship and activated it within 45 minutes. As the door to the ship slowly opened, the ship, suspended in the air by its anti-gravity core, slowly left the dock and flew towards the nearby Imperial Palace, carrying a full crew of soldiers and artillery.

On the other side, on the ground, several key roads leading from the city of London to the palace were blocked by checkpoints set up by the New World Army. The citizens of London looked in horror at the several main roads blocked by checkpoints set up by the New World Army armed with live ammunition.

"Report...all main roads leading to the palace have been blocked." A private reported to the general under Richard.

"Well done. Next, we just need to wait for the air battleships to arrive as fire support. Then we can send some of our men into the palace to capture the Duke of Normandy and force the Queen to abdicate. This will ensure His Royal Highness Richard's control over the entire kingdom."

After a short wait, the Royal Air Force battleship controlled by Richard's New World Army slowly passed over the heads of the New World Army soldiers who were maintaining the blockade, and aimed the muzzle of its 305mm main gun at the palace.

"Everyone! Today is the time to wipe out those aristocratic insects. Follow me, let's rush into the palace together and capture the Duke of Normandy alive." Another confidant of Richard, led hundreds of armed soldiers and drove dozens of trucks through a main road leading to the palace controlled by the New Continental Army and quickly rushed into the palace. Two guards guarding the palace gate were killed by the dense bullets fired by the New Continental Army on the trucks before they could react.

Hundreds of New Continental Army soldiers drove into the palace and headed straight for the building that served as the office of the Duke of Normandy. More than a dozen trucks braked suddenly at the door of the building, and hundreds of soldiers armed with guns jumped out of the trucks behind them, quickly surrounded the building, and blocked all entrances and exits of the building.

Two guards suddenly kicked open the door and rushed into the building first. Behind them were dozens of fully armed New Continental Army soldiers who followed them in. After rushing into the building, they carefully searched all the rooms in the building. If they found unarmed servants in the rooms, they would drive them to the open space outside the building and hand them over to the soldiers outside for supervision. If they encountered guards who were armed and intended to resist, they would be shot on the spot.

"The Duke of Normandy's office is on the third floor! Follow me!"

The general leading the team said to the soldiers behind him.

Dozens of soldiers, armed with guns, followed the general up the stairs and rushed to the third floor where the Duke of Normandy's office was located.

.........

On the other side, in the office of the Duke of Normandy, looking at the calm and unhurried Calisi in front of him, the Duke of Normandy felt an inexplicable panic in his heart, because this purple-haired girl had not allowed him to leave the office since the beginning.

And if everything is as the purple-haired girl said, it is very likely that a coup has already broken out outside, and I still know nothing about it.

Therefore, the Duke of Normandy, who had a stern face on the outside, felt a little anxious.

"Sir, could you please let me leave the office? I need to deal with the matter you mentioned."

"No rush, no rush, wouldn't it be better to wait for them to come to your door in person?"

"Don't be impatient... Let me see, it should be almost time now, right?" Carlisle said, looking at the wall clock again.

At this moment, accompanied by several gunshots from the corridor outside, the conversation between Calisi and the Duke of Normandy was interrupted. Then, there was the sound of the door being slammed open. The originally sophisticated and complicated door lock was deformed and damaged in the violent impact. A large group of soldiers with pistols and rifles rushed into the house and pointed their guns at Calisi and the Duke of Normandy in the house.

At this time, outside the door, several military police who were originally responsible for guarding the office were knocked unconscious by the butts of rifles of several New Continental Army non-commissioned officers who attacked them from behind.

"Duke of Normandy, I finally caught you." A general of the New Continental Army who was following the soldiers came forward and said to Normandy who was sitting on the sofa.

"Tell me! Where is His Royal Highness Richard?" The new Continental Army general who stepped forward ignored the identity of the purple-haired girl sitting opposite the Duke of Normandy. He directly pulled out the pistol from his waist and pointed it at the back of the Duke of Normandy's head and asked.

"Do you think I will tell you so easily?" The Duke of Normandy calmly answered facing the gunpoint at the back of his head.

"Oh... I suggest you all calm down... otherwise I can't guarantee that something bad won't happen." At this time, the purple-haired girl who had been ignored by several New Continental Army soldiers who rushed into the room suddenly spoke.

"Who are you?" The new Continental Army general who was pointing a pistol at the back of the Duke of Normandy's head also noticed the purple-haired girl sitting on the sofa and behaving a little strangely.

"Carlisle Neptune, remember this name, because something bad is going to happen next!" Carlisle said with an indifferent smile.

Chapter 86 The Killing Drone

"Who are you? Are you a subordinate of the Duke of Normandy?" After hearing Carlisle's self-introduction, the trusted general of Richard who led the team asked with narrowed eyes.

"Me? Just a centaur and a photography enthusiast."

"Photography enthusiast? Miss, I urge you to be honest. What is your relationship with the Duke of Normandy?"

"Relationship? He's just an old fogey who's obsessed with preserving the old aristocracy. What relationship can I have with him?"

"Oh, young lady, it seems that you are a like-minded person like us. In that case, why don't you tell us your identity honestly, and we may consider letting you cooperate with us." The general leading the team heard Carlisle's disgust for the old aristocracy system. Although the general still didn't know the specific origins of the purple-haired girl in front of him, considering that she appeared in the Duke of Normandy's office and based on the scene he saw when he rushed in with fully armed soldiers, the purple-haired girl was obviously treated as a guest by the Duke of Normandy.

Considering the purple-haired girl's beautiful appearance like that of a noble lady, she must be of extraordinary status. When such a girl who may have an aristocratic background and was obviously treated as a guest by the Duke of Normandy showed undisguised contempt for the old aristocratic system, the general leading the team thought that the girl in front of him might be able to be won over and asked her to explain her identity.

"My lady, if you can honestly reveal your identity and explain the purpose of your visit to the Duke of Normandy, we may be able to consider exempting you from implicate, or even grant you and your family a higher status."

"Haha, that's ridiculous. Do you think too highly of yourselves? It's true that I hate Albion's feudal aristocracy, but how much better can you be?"

"Stage a military coup to seize power and establish a military dictatorship? Ultimately, your actions are no different from those of the decadent old aristocracy."

"You are merely a military government established by the army to oppress the people. Once you are corrupted by power, the impact you will cause will be far worse than that of the old aristocracy."

"Besides, does that idiot Richard really think he can suppress the opposition with just the army?"

"Furthermore, Richard's intentions are not pure to begin with. If he were to come to power, he would only establish a military dictatorship that relies entirely on the military to suppress the people, making the people of Albion live in fear."

"Miss, please watch your words!" The trusted general under Richard, who led the team, shouted sternly.

"His Highness Richard is the only one who can save the Kingdom of Albion. Under His Highness Richard's leadership, our armies, which have participated in the New World War, will completely wipe out the corrupt old nobles within the kingdom. His Highness Richard is the savior of a fallen nation! If you insult him like this, don't blame us for being rude."

"Haha... Richard? Just a jerk with no moral integrity. Want to be a military dictator? Ask my opinion first!!"

As she spoke, Carlisle stretched out her right hand, pointed it at the soldiers surrounding herself and the Duke of Normandy in the room, and pulled her arm backwards. The soldiers were like being grabbed by the neck by invisible big hands and were slammed heavily against the wall next to them.

"What... this?" The general in charge was stunned for a moment as he watched several of his soldiers being snatched up and thrown away by invisible hands. But then he reacted immediately. He pointed the pistol that was originally pointed at the back of the Duke of Normandy's head at Calisi and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!" With a gunshot, the bullet did not hit Kalisa, but hovered a few meters away from Kalisa's body.

"???" The general who pulled the trigger at Kalisi was so shocked that he couldn't speak when he saw the bullet he shot at the purple-haired girl but it was suspended in the air as if it was fixed by something.

“This…this…this is hell!”

"What are you still standing there for? Kill her!" Seeing that the pistol in his hand did not cause any harm to Kalisi, the general panicked and ordered the remaining soldiers in the room to shoot Kalisi.

"Don't waste your energy. This little firepower can't hurt me." Carisi nonchalantly used her body to block the incoming bullets and opened her arms. All the high-speed bullets were fixed in the air and unable to move the moment they approached her.

"Damn it! Is this some kind of witchcraft?" The general looked at the completely unreasonable scene in front of him in shock, cursing under his breath.

"Witchcraft? Not really. Just a little trick. You can't handle it, is that all?"

"However, since you shot me first, it's my turn next."

Carlisle stretched out her right hand and clenched it casually, and several soldiers who were shooting at her with guns were directly knocked away.

Seeing that the bullets were useless against the purple-haired girl, the other two soldiers rushed forward and tried to stop her with the bayonets mounted on the front of their rifles. However, this was obviously in vain. The purple-haired girl in front of them just moved her fingers casually, and the rifles with bayonets in the hands of the two soldiers were pulled away by a huge force and slipped out of their hands.

"Has anyone reminded you not to engage in close combat with others?" Carlisle casually flicked her index finger at the two soldiers who had lost their weapons, and the two were instantly pressed into the wall.

"That's it?" Carlisle said contemptuously as she casually knocked a few soldiers away.

"Damn it! What kind of witchcraft is this?" Seeing the guards he brought in being knocked away one after another by the enemy, the officer in charge gritted his teeth and stared at the soldier in the room, who was swatting flies, and was driving the unparalleled Kalisi.

At this time, the remaining soldiers in the room still did not give up using the rifles in their hands to fight against the strange power of the purple-haired girl, but all the bullets of the purple-haired girl were stopped in mid-air when they approached the purple-haired girl. The remaining guards looked at this strange straight-haired girl who was beating her companions like sandbags, and fear gradually appeared on their faces.

"General! This girl knows witchcraft! We can't stop her!"

"All of you come together, hold her back and give me an opportunity. I'll go outside and call for reinforcements."

"Yes!"

After hearing the order from the leading general, all the remaining guards gathered together and tried to besiege Calisi to buy time for the general to escape.

"Just a few of you want to stop me?"

The purple-haired girl smiled sinisterly, raised her right hand and blasted away the remaining soldiers who tried to stop her. After receiving this heavy blow, all the soldiers who had tried to surround Kalisi fell to the ground unconscious.

Taking advantage of these few seconds of opportunity, the general leading the team fled out of the door in a panic and escaped into the complex corridor of the palace building.

In the corridor, the panicked generals under Richard were running all the way towards the exit.

"Damn it! Damn it! What the hell is that?"

"Why is there such a witch around the Duke of Normandy?"

"Who is she? What the hell is that witchcraft-like ability?" The general guessed wildly.

The general finally saw the exit in the distance after frantically struggling with his legs, and he hurriedly ran towards it.

"Why are you here? Where is the Duke of Normandy? And where are the dozens of guards you brought in?" asked another trusted general who was in charge of meeting them outside in confusion.

"Damn it! That Duke of Normandy has a wizard-like guy beside him. He knows witchcraft and he knocked down dozens of my guards easily like cutting melons and vegetables." The general explained to his colleagues in an impatient tone.

"Witchcraft? Did the Duke of Normandy escape? Are you making up an excuse to fool me?"

"I'm not kidding! There really is a weird guy in there who knows witchcraft. That scary guy easily knocked down the dozens of guards I brought in."

“???” Seeing that his panicked colleague did not seem to be lying, the other general had to start considering the authenticity of the situation reported by his colleague.

"Victor, take another company in to check the situation and confirm whether what this guy said is true."

"Yes!" The captain, who was replaced by Victor, re-entered the building with a whole team of soldiers, but just after they took a few steps into the building, suddenly, a huge force lifted them up out of the air and threw them out of the building gate.

The general who had just sent his subordinate Victor to lead people in to check was bewildered as he looked at the group of people who had just entered and were thrown out by invisible hands. The general who led the team looked at the soldiers lying on the ground in shock, not knowing what to do.

"What... happened?" The colleagues of the leading general were also very confused.

"Wait, they were thrown out as soon as they went in, could it be possible?" The general leading the team seemed to suddenly think of something, and looked nervously at the gate not far away, as if some vicious beast would run out and eat people.

With the sound of unhurried footsteps, the purple-haired girl appeared at the entrance of the building. She looked out from the door at the New Continental Army surrounding the building, and then walked out of the door nonchalantly, which was pointed at by dozens of loaded rifles.

"Who is this person?" One of the generals, who obviously did not understand what had just happened in the building, asked his colleague who had fled from the building in panic.

"That's her! She's the one who attacked those dozens of guards I brought in. Quick! Stop her! This guy knows witchcraft!"

The general who had hurriedly escaped from the building earlier gave this order in a panic to the New Continental Army soldiers who surrounded the palace.

The soldiers who received the order immediately pulled the triggers of their rifles at the purple-haired girl who walked out of the building, but just like before, all the bullets were frozen in mid-air the moment they approached the purple-haired girl and could not move forward at all.

After a burst of intensive shooting, the New Continental Army soldiers who had just fired showed expressions of incomprehension and fear when they saw that all the bullets they had fired stopped a few meters in front of the purple-haired girl. They had never seen such a weird and unreasonable scene. The purple-haired girl in front of them seemed to be protected by a god. All the high-speed bullets could not get close to her body. Even the hundreds of bullets could not cause any trouble to the terrible and mysterious purple-haired girl in front of them.