Chris's Faith of Fire

"I'm fine." He replied, "The strength of a brave man seems to be that he can learn everything very quickly. Although my world is still dark, I seem to be able to see some light from time to time, helping me avoid obstacles. My hearing and perception also seem to be Magnified thousands of times, not even a fly can get close to it.”

"Yeah." I can't think of any other answer except this word. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Okay~" He replied calmly, with a bit of relief in his tone.

We walked out of the camp and looked at the mountains and grassland...the sky full of stars sandwiched between the trees. I took Noel's hand and ran up the small hill, bathed in the starlight, and looked at the double moon and the sky. stars.This place is different from the earth. Some planets seem to be relatively close. They are as big as small balls within the field of vision. The stars have different colors and can be observed with the naked eye here. The wind ruffles my hair and gently plays the sounds of the grass and trees. concerto.I really want him to be able to see all this. I am a selfish girl... but I am willing to give up my eyes because I owe Noelle so much. I have been with him since the day I saw him. I have been accepting this boy's kindness, and I have been...

"Noelle, thank you." He felt uncomfortable when I said this suddenly.

But the young man did not understand Feng Qing, "It's nothing, I just do what I want to do... Now I can break through the deepest darkness, and I am confident that I can defeat even the devil."

"We will definitely see Sylvie again."

Beyer said that Sylvie has become one with the Demon King. Both of us intentionally or unintentionally avoided saying this and would never admit it until we saw the truth.

We can't let this mess us up before the battle, but I'm also mentally prepared. If it's really her... I will be cruel...

This is different from the previous time on the balcony. No one can forgive the devil.

Noelle nodded self-suggestively, without mentioning Sylvie, "Well, definitely, we will definitely be able to create a peaceful world... a world where everyone can coexist." He hesitated when he said this, but Still continued, "Chris, in fact, it was not my love for you that supported me in the second half... I have always loved you. You know, I feel that your feelings for me are not love. From the moment you will The moment I put this ring on the fence of my house, I already understood that Xier persuaded me, but I still followed your footsteps..."

"Noelle...yes..."

"Don't apologize." He interrupted me without hesitation. "Your apology will make me even more confused. Not being able to get your love is fate, just like the fact that I am a brave man. Some things are destined. I am jealous of Fami, but I also wish him well... now What supports me is something more noble. After my father's death and the fall of Mount Feia, I understand that this world needs someone to protect it, the helpless civilians, the Garnet people who have lost their home... no matter what I want to seek justice from the Demon King on their behalf, and you can bring hope to the future of these people. Not just us humans, but also the orcs and elves!" He looked at the orc warriors at the foot of the hill, and looked towards Alves, who was taking care of Jimena, looked at Ollie who was at the enchantment table by the tent. Everyone was working towards the same end point, "Chris, it's the same as what you said, this is My belief in fire is the reason why I burn!"

For a moment, my eyes were dull and I didn't know how to answer this young man.

He didn't know when he turned into a burning flame. This was the boy who once hid behind his father at the banquet... This was the boy who spoke softly and often blushed, but he was also the boy who protected me in front of Salamander. The boy who saved me from Beyer's attack.

Rather than apologizing, thanking is more appropriate.

"Thank you."

At this time, a white light flashed in the sky in the peripheral vision, which was too close for a shooting star. After hearing the flapping of its wings, I discovered that it was a white kite.

It landed on my shoulder, but there was no letter on its feet, either... It is impossible for a white kite raised by humans to find someone to deliver a letter in the wild.

"Chris? This white kite carries incredible power of light? I can feel it..." Noelle said.

"Eh?"

"Let's take it with us. I always feel that it can guide us."

so...

I stood up and stretched.

The position of the stars has shifted, and we have changed since just now.

"Let's go, Noelle." I held the boy's hand again, "Bring light to this world."

"Well, it will definitely come true."

We walked down the hill together and never looked back.

◆ ◇

Volume [-] Dancers on the battlefield END

Chapter 422 416. Absolute Neutrality——1

The wind from the coast was still blowing towards Neferait, and people seemed as if nothing had happened.

They defeated Jacob, one of the cardinals, not long ago. Now people in the whole city are cursing this cardinal. As a high-ranking bishop, he actually ended his life by committing suicide. This behavior was criticized by Aaron. It is exaggerated that suicide is an unclean behavior for clergy and will surely lead to hell.Aaron didn't expect it. It was such an unexpected surprise. If he had been tortured to force a confession, he might not be able to win the hearts of the people as well as he did now.

So the emperor pushed Patricia and another Cardinal Harris further.

Bishop Patricia accepted the papal coronation ceremony, the first female pope to be crowned since the Third Age.The female Pope Patricia was born more than 100 years ago. No one can surpass her in terms of qualifications and belief in the goddess.She maintained the tradition of the Holy See and conveyed the long-standing spirit that the priests should inherit to the younger generations. Three of the people she taught became cardinals.This half-elf cardinal has an excellent reputation among the people. The kings of several kingdoms will also invite Bishop Patricia to bless them during family weddings. Legend has it that she can hear the voice of the goddess, so people often ask Bishop Patricia to give her blessings. Bishop Teresa asked for an oracle, but she just smiled and replied that she had never heard any oracle...

Emperor Aaron presided over the coronation ceremony. The pope wore a gorgeous red ecclesiastical robe and a triple crown inlaid with gems. The emperor did not lose to her, and the young girl had not given up her love of winning in Patricia's eyes. , but it may also be to show that his power overrides the religious power, Patricia thought, but no country has been able to control the Holy See since ancient times. After all, people's faith is not governed by any power, so Neve Rait has been able to become independent to this day. Nobles from many countries voluntarily send their children here to receive education. This is also the highest honor for them.

"Is His Majesty the Emperor's clothes today a little more feminine?" Finance Minister Meyer asked Prime Minister Lyles who was standing next to him. Knights stood on both sides, wearing heavy armor and holding sharp blades. Now all the military power is in Asia. On Emperor Lun, the solemn attire of the leaders of the army seemed to tell people with ulterior motives not to take a step beyond the realm of possibility.

Lyles looked at the finance minister who was a banker, and then moved his eyes to the center of the cathedral. The red carpet was spread from the cathedral to the outside steps. Emperor Aaron was handing the Pope's cane to Patricia. , he paused for a while before answering Meier in a low voice.

"Your Majesty has her own plans. She will not be controlled by others. Sooner or later, the veil will be lifted one day."

"It's as if it has grown into a beautiful butterfly, but is still trapped in a cocoon..."

"It's a good metaphor, but this cocoon can't do anything to her. This continent is hers, not the Demon King's Hero."

He was right, Meier thought. No other emperor had such foresight.To reuse a lowly person like yourself and carry out reforms at the same time, you must know that the risk of failure is much greater than success. Once a few autonomous cities fail and become independent, the empire will be in ruins. Even if there is no demon king, they will self-destruct and eventually become what they were in the past. , a situation in which several countries compete for hegemony.But now everything is working fine, the big shots in the municipalities are stuck with the central bank, and their money is managed by us, and they don't realize until it's too late that they have been fooled, and there is no use in finding out. of.

We will have new initiatives in the future, and they will never be able to keep up with our pace.

The following ceremony was carried out in full accordance with the traditions left over hundreds of years ago. The Pope, on behalf of God, gave Holy Dew to the Emperor. However, in the middle of the ceremony, Aaron suddenly grabbed Patricia's hand and pointed it straight towards the church. Go outside.The guards followed their steps. They would not question the emperor's actions. Whether it was a whim or a plan, as long as it was done by the emperor, there was nothing wrong. Stepping on the bright red carpet, even though they already knew that the other party was a girl, the message was conveyed through the petite palms. With the heat coming, she could really feel Emperor Aaron's nervousness. Was she also questioning her behavior?

Aaron led Patricia to the big steps in front of the church, and the residents of Nefrait all focused their attention on them.There were nobles and civilians there, as well as some refugees who had come from the empire. Jacob had been very kind to them before, but these poor people seemed to have doubts about Cardinal Jacob's rebellion against the Holy See.

Aaron cleared his throat to sound more like a teenager.

"Everyone! I'm guilty..." She shouted loudly, as if she wanted to make her voice heard by everyone. "I, Aaron Snow Crystal Jemenel, am a woman!"

For a moment, no one realized what she was saying. The emperor was saying that he was a woman.

Miles suddenly felt dizzy, but Lyles was full of smiles, "Look, this cocoon is peeling off faster than I thought."

People looked at the emperor. Her robe showed her female figure, and her face was too cute and delicate for a boy. Only then did they realize what the emperor meant. She was a woman, not that she had exchanged identities with someone, but that she was a woman. Born as a female from the beginning, she is a woman.I have been kept in the dark all this time!The emperor of the empire is a woman!

The people began to riot, and the knights were instantly shocked, but they immediately realized that their duty was not to discuss the emperor's gender but to protect her safety.

Aaron raised his hand, and the polite Neferrats became quiet when they saw this.

"I am guilty. There is no male in my family... My sister and I were supposed to govern the empire together, but the new aristocrats used us as puppets to govern themselves." She lowered her head as she spoke, looking extremely distressed. "This all ended a few months ago and we are facing a new jihad!"

Patricia Pope understood the emperor's reason for bringing her here, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

He began to explain to people, "Now the brave men in the north are fighting against the Demon King's army with all their strength. Everyone...think about it, why your life is getting worse and worse, why our wealth is getting less and less. Why do people who don't believe in God start to slow down?" Increasing slowly..." Patricia pointed to the church, "My disciple, the former Cardinal Jacob, as you know, he locked me in the garden for half a year. During these six months, he and the new nobles of the empire The two factions colluded together, all just so that they could survive the war and have enough food and clothing!"

People began to discuss again. They argued fiercely and pushed each other...but no one dared to come forward. They saw the spears and square shields in the hands of the knights, and also saw Pope Patricia and the Emperor holding each other's arms. hand.

"I promise in the name of the emperor of the empire!" Aaron shouted, "I promise to give you a prosperous country! From then on, the empire and Neferrat are interdependent and open their borders!"

These words seemed to ignite another flame among them. Although Neferait is only a city, it has never given up its arrogance. But at this moment, they understand what it means to be interdependent with the empire.

"We will transport a large amount of food, clothing, and wine... We will allow the citizens of Nefrait to do business in our big market!"

The people started cheering and shouting one after another.

However, the Maiden Queen's words have not stopped yet. At this moment, no one cares about what she said at the beginning that she is a woman.

"I will support the queen of Garnet, Ladia Neve Masefield! She is the first heir of Garnet. She is brave and good at fighting, and strictly adheres to chivalry and honor! She has defeated the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Race, Queen Ladia has led part of our army to the northern lands. I assure you that all warriors will fight bravely. The Four Heavenly Kings are dead! They will definitely kill the Demon King in the north and will never let him cross. Crossing the Sea of ​​Fog and harming our people!”

The cheers were louder this time, and Lyles and Meyer, who were already elderly, felt like they were going deaf.

"I asked why I haven't seen Sir Lorraine and Sir Farr. Did they go to the north together? They left in such a hurry."

Lyles smiled and said, "After all, Her Royal Highness Latia doesn't want to lose to her sister at all."

Chapter 423 417. Absolute Neutrality——2

"Speaking of which, don't you plan to return to Princess Crystal? I remember that you were amazed by her skill on the fighting field and were willing to become the subordinate of the Princess of Flame." Meyer said this. Jean Lyles raised his eyebrows, feeling slightly unhappy.

"Similarly, as a minister, you should not test the loyalty of your colleagues. I don't want to think that you and I will be divided into new aristocrats and old aristocrats later on."

This clear threat reminded Meyer that Lyles was a mercenary, and it would be scary if he was provoked. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to offend you. As businessmen, we always like to ask root-cause questions. After all, your change is a bit sudden... I think you are a very wise person. It would be great if your insights can inspire me. "

Lyles relaxed when he heard this. "It's actually very simple," he said.

"Her Royal Highness Crystal will definitely become a war hero, but she is not suitable to be a king. She is too emotional...she does not have the ruthlessness that a king should have, and sometimes she even engages in intrigues. If this is not the case, If not, then the people will probably have a hard time living."

Meier nodded, "His Majesty Aaron will quarrel with the lords of those municipalities for a penny of profit, but what he gets will eventually improve people's quality of life. This is probably the so-called virtuous circle. "

"So that's it. Some people have leadership qualities and can attract others to follow...but this does not mean that he is suitable to be a king. Military ability, luck, internal affairs, economic ability, and rigor in dealing with the law. The king must have these five abilities. , and Her Royal Highness Crystal may only have two kinds.”

"Talking to you really enlightened me." Meier saluted. At this time, Pope Patricia and His Majesty the Emperor had already retreated, and the knights also formed a circle to block the door of the church. After Aaron returned to the empire This place will no longer be open to civilians before.

"Meier, Lyles, what are you chatting about so slowly? There are still many things we have to deal with next." Aaron ordered as he walked past the two of them. The two ministers immediately saluted and bowed. At this time Only then did Meyer deeply feel what Lyles had just said. Emperor Aaron had been suppressed by her sister and the old aristocrats since she was a child and was unable to develop her talents. Later, a new aristocrat like Willard took control of her as a regent.All this makes people think that the emperor is just a puppet and has no talent for governing the country. In fact, it is because no one gave her a chance.

As the emperor's financial advisor, Meyer knew her political and economic talents very well. She quickly absorbed knowledge like a sponge and was able to apply it quickly. Her adaptability and courage in conversation were also impeccable. She is now Not yet 15 years old.If she waits until she reaches adulthood, her possibilities will be unimaginable, and she will be worthy of the name of the emperor of the only empire in the world.

She saw through that Chris was not suitable to be the king and fully supported Ladia. The princess was said to have received guidance from Patricia in the Holy See Neferrait. She was a devout goddess believer and was very interested in controlling the religious power. For Emperor Aaron, there would be no harm in letting Ladia seize the throne.

"I have to consider the problem from more aspects." Meier shook his head slightly in reflection, and then followed the steps of the Pope and the Emperor into the cathedral.

◆ ◇

The first meal after becoming pope was not as luxurious as expected, because Patricia advocated frugality after the war. The nun served corn soup and white wine. The staple food was mashed potatoes and buckwheat bread, with a little chicken and sausage. Will come again.They all changed out of their cumbersome attire. Only then did Lyles notice for the first time that Patricia Pope looked just like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. The life span of a half-goblin seemed not to be as long as that of a goblin. , but she is at least 150 years old, and this aging rate is beyond the reach of humans.

"Thank you very much for your help, His Majesty the Emperor." Patricia picked up the wine glass. Bishop Harris on the side was also frightened now. It was lucky that he, who had always been a stranger, was not accused this time.

"It's nothing. I'm very grateful to His Holiness the Pope for supporting my idea. In this way, religious power and imperial power can be perfectly combined, and we can bring more to the people."

"Indeed." Patricia nodded, "We have no choice during the war. By the way, has Your Majesty told the people of the empire that you are a woman?"

She had a headache when she heard this, "Not at all. It was half a whim and half a plan. After all, no one can hide it for a lifetime. It is better to explain it while I am still fully in control of the situation. Lyles, I asked you before Have you done the preparations?"

"Of course, the soldiers at the head of the army have stepped up patrols in the city. If they hear any rumors of opposition, they will arrest them immediately. Their power must be strangled in the cradle." Lyles's answer made Ya Lun feels very reliable.

"Well done, not only to take this opportunity to clear out my opposition party, but also to make the people of the empire more pious. They have believed in the phantom god and the god of war for too long. If people worship force too much, they will become Cruel. Times will change in the coming years..."

"I completely agree with this. War should never have happened in the first place, regardless of whether the initiator is a demon or a human being." Cardinal Harris said.

This sentence made everyone at the dinner table laugh, including Patricia... She didn't care about the outcome of the war, but looked beyond the threat of the devil to the more distant future.The Demon King will definitely be defeated, and the filth that does not obey the laws of nature will always be eliminated. Whether it is the brave man, the will of this world, or the goddess, there will always be something to deal with her, and she will naturally There is karma. In more than 100 years of life, Patricia has lost the passion and innocence of a little girl. She just wants to look back as far as possible and see the future face of this world.

"Your Highness Crystal and Your Highness Ladia, how sad."

"It's nothing." Aaron cut off a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth. "Brothers and sisters often fight against each other in the Wang family. This is also their fate."

Survival of the fittest, only the strongest among the young eagles can survive, the Princess of Two Moons... This curse will still happen in many places, now and in the future.

"Your Majesty." Meier said, "If we support Princess Ladia, what about the Kingdom of Gilkern? I have received intelligence before that their king and the great nobles of Anatolia support the Kriss faction. Chris and the Brave are engaged, and the Brave Master Noelle is the legitimate son of Duke Sajavir, so we have to consider this."

"You don't have to worry." Aaron's expression did not change at all, "She will not marry a brave man."

Others at the table inevitably wanted to ask why when they heard the emperor's confident attitude, but she refused to answer.

"You have to believe my words... I know that girl. In the end, she will definitely abandon many important things... including the responsibilities she must bear."

Chapter 424 418. Absolute Neutrality——3

After dinner, Patricia Pope took Aaron to the guest room to rest. Chris and her friends used to rest here. They were as wary of themselves as they were wary of demons, which was right for them.As the last descendant of the Masefield family and still the younger one, her position cannot be guaranteed in times of peace, and it is easier for others to take advantage of her in times of war.

"Your Excellency, I had a great time today." The emperor took her hand and came to the garden. At night, it was like being in a dense forest. The fountain in the center was an ancient artifact built in the last era, leaving a full fairy clan style.They looked up to see the moons and stars in the sky, and sat down to talk quietly, listening only to the gurgling water.

"There are still many problems you will face next. The empire's influence has been further strengthened, but you will also be challenged by more people."

"An emperor must accept the challenges of others and then dominate them." At this time, Aaron seemed to have inherited the toughness of his sister Andrea. The title of Princess Wu was superimposed on her, letting Aaron know that she was just relying on words. No problem can be solved. She still has the all-powerful leader of the army. She also has the experience of facing the Red Banquet. She knows that the struggle for power will only make the country weaker and weaker.The so-called emperor is to take all power into his own hands and manage it well.

There will never be another Willard.

Patricia stood up, her simple robe accentuating her slender figure. The Pope's atmosphere at this time was completely different from before. It seemed to Aaron that she had relaxed a little and no longer cared about so many things. No. If I want to get involved in this power struggle, I just want to sit alone in this quiet garden and look up at the stars.

"Your Majesty, today I wear the triple crown of the Pope under your witness, but do you know what the Pope means?"

"If it's history, of course I know... In the last era, the empire was still divided among the five kingdoms. They all trusted the Holy See. In order to avoid a large-scale war, the Cardinal of the Holy See came forward to mediate. After that, the five kingdoms crowned the Cardinal as the Pope."

The Pope nodded, "Since then, the cardinals who were promoted to the Pope began to vote for the Pope from within. For a while, the city of Neferait rose, the population increased, and Paladins were selected to expand the military. Instead, they expanded outward to accumulate wealth. .At its peak, the pope was extremely powerful and could even depose the monarch. That’s why the Holy See later abolished the papal system.”

"I've heard that, are you scared? My Majesty..."

"Of course." She replied, "I'm just a mortal. No matter how long I live, there will still be things I can't control. For example, this time I really made everyone laugh. I can't control the cardinals' thoughts and their desires. Expansion, when faced with pressure, it may speed up and do incredible things in one breath. As an old woman, I will always be an old fool one day. I will one day not be able to bear the weight of the triple crown you gave me, and I don’t know. Who do you want to pass it on to?”

"I use my eyes to see what happened in the past two days, my ears to listen to things within 10 years, and my hands to process the things of the past few days. However, my mind is thinking about what I should do in the next year. Only 10 years from now I don’t want to think about things like this, it will hinder my way forward.”

Patricia was speechless for a moment and looked at the most noble girl in the world in surprise. Her blond hair was spread over her shoulders and became transparent in the moonlight.With cute cheeks and moist eyes, she is only in her teens. Is she really a girl in her teens?Patricia has seen too many children who are arrogant and narrow-minded at this age.At the age of 20, I start to be conceited and feel that I can do anything. At the age of 30, I start to cool down, but I still tend to have a surge of blood.They are just too young and unwilling to learn from the experience of their elders and lower their arrogance.

"What you said surprised me so much. It was an enlightenment."

"You are too humble, Your Majesty... As the oldest priest among humans, you can give guidance to many people, including me of course."

In fact, Patricia did this, three apprentices and two traitors.

"Jacob is dead, and he was hanged by the holy cloth placed in front of the shrine. And Harris, as His Majesty the Emperor has just seen, is just a villain who takes advantage of the situation. I just live long. That’s it, this is something given by the goddess, not my own talent. You are the chosen one, Your Majesty.

"But living a long life is a valuable experience in itself, Your Excellency." Aaron said modestly. "I still have a lot to learn from you, Your Excellency..."

The emperor in front of her was the one who easily suppressed Neferait both economically and militarily. She wanted to seize the religious power to stabilize people's hearts.Even so, she didn't show any arrogance in front of her. She had a lively but steady and calm mentality. Even if Aaron was not a brave man, he was a rare talent that could only be seen in a thousand years.

"Hahahaha..." The pope smiled heartily. It was the first time in many years that she laughed so happily.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty? Do you think I'm too stupid to teach you?"