Andy Barrett, the quintessential tragic protagonist of the play.

As a direct member of the family of the six Dukes of the Empire, his surname represents honor, and from birth he has had everything that many people have not had.

But Andy Barrett for a long time, all the time, thought about getting rid of his last name.

He wants a normal life, and he wants the days when his parents are around.

Andy Barrett left his parents for some political reasons when he was just remembering.

He'll never forget that day,

On that day, it was raining heavily and there was a strong wind.

Andy Barrett had a vague memory of the wind that almost swept him away, and he knelt on the mud-covered ground and begged his father not to drive him away.

He didn't want to leave the house,

I don't want to go to the imperial capital to learn holy power.

He just wants to stay at home.

But no matter how much he pleaded, his father never answered him, and the two soldiers grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him into the carriage.

He looked back at the castle gate farther and farther away through the narrow window of the carriage, hoping that his father would change his mind, that his mother would say a few kind words for him, and that his brother would chase him out and take him back.

But these are just expectations,

In his most desperate moments, no one ever reached out to him... Moreover, the object of his rescue is still his closest relatives.

So, at a very young age, Andy Barrett knew not to ask for help from others, because that really was... The only one who can help himself is himself.

During the time Andy lived in the imperial capital, he rarely returned to his apartment. He stayed at his uncle's house, who was prime minister, and as his father said, he became a 'retinue' of his cousin, and the equally lonely Pedi also needed such an 'entourage', and the two naturally became the closest friends.

Aside from other reasons, Andy actually wanted to maintain a close brotherly relationship with his cousin, because it was the only trace of family affection left in his heart, and he didn't want to destroy it.

But the boundless jealousy made him can't help but compare himself with his cousin, and he can't help but sarcastically mock everything the other party has gained, and he even wants to destroy everything the other party has now.

He was jealous that the other party had two younger sisters who accompanied him every day, and even more jealous that the other party could talk to his father every day.

Every laughter and laughter of Pedi and his two sisters, every loving glance of his father, hurt Andy Barrett, and his fragile heart was filled with jealousy, and when jealousy filled his heart, it became resentment.

But Andy can't show even a trace of resentment, let alone jealousy.

Because, he stayed in someone else's house...

Boarding life is a life that is difficult for outsiders to understand, even if the boarding partner is very gentle and kind, but it still can't satisfy the deep desire of the boarding heart... Yes, it's that longing, they want to have a happy family like their host partner.

Years of boarding life taught Andy Barrett how to read words and emotions at a very young age...

When he gets up every morning, he needs to observe the mood of his uncle's family, whether the two cousins will be angry with him for no reason, and whether his cousin is willing to talk to him.

He values liking to tell humorous jokes, as this is the only thing he has to prove his existence.

The life in the imperial capital has turned this aristocratic young master, who doesn't know anything, into a cautious little character like a bureaucrat at the bottom of the castle.

But he has the blood of the Barrett family after all, and he is not a small person after all.

When he left the cage of the imperial capital and met his father again, he changed... The invisible pressure is gone, the shackles on his body are gone, and he can no longer look at other people's faces, and he can no longer follow his cousin for shelter.

He can do what he wants... What he wants to do on his own!

The life of the imperial capital has allowed Andy to develop his own set of values since he was a child, there is no so-called family, love and friendship in his eyes, he benefits everything like a businessman, and sees the interaction between people as a transaction.

And this indirectly led to the coup d'état in Huashibao two years ago!

Andy Barrett has no feeling for the coup d'état at Fort Flowerstone two years ago, no mood swings for his brother's death, neither the thrill of killing his enemies, nor the grief of losing a loved one.

When he was in the imperial capital, many people thought that Andy Barrett was just a somewhat humorous playboy, and even his brother Pedy Reagan, who spent time and night with him, thought so a long time ago.

But what they didn't know was that the 'playboy' was learning almost every night, and what they didn't know was that he had completed paladin training even earlier than his cousin, but he didn't show it.

Yes, he learned to be forbearant and humble from a very young age, and in the later coup d'état at Huashibao, he learned to be decisive and ruthless!

During last year's Crane incident, he naturally learned to 'dance with wolves'.

And now,

There is one of the most important lessons that he needs to concentrate on.

Treachery!

As a true ruler, betrayal is the most important lesson, and he needs to learn to see through the betrayals of others, and also be ready to betray his allies at any time for more benefits.

The battle of Klan has now reached the time to decide.

Will the allies who betrayed the Klan City Alliance launch a surprise attack behind their backs, or will they reject the demands from the Alliance and continue to support his elven allies in their war against the orcs?

From Andy Barrett's current point of view, this is undoubtedly a more difficult choice.

Although joining the so-called 'common circle of ocean trade' can bring him more objective benefits, as a landlocked country, ocean trade is too far away for Andy Barrett.

Therefore, he prefers to form an alliance with the city-states of the Suker Plains and the elves... However, the current chaos in the Suker Plains is not suitable for being an ally at all, and there has been no news from the elven base camp for a long time, and it seems that the contract signed with the other members of the Klan City Alliance will not take effect for a long time, or it may not be effective forever.

However, the alliance contract can take effect as soon as he makes a decision!

Therefore, he couldn't make a decision for a while, and the war situation in Klan forced him to make a decision as soon as possible.

Andy Barrett's eagerness did not affect Sir Claire, the weather-hardened warrior calmly thought for a moment and then said, "Klan leads the war situation to..."

Andy Barrett thought for a moment, and said with a puzzled look on his face, "He is now eager to send his army directly to participate in the war in the Clan... It stands to reason that he shouldn't be so eager..."

"Yes!" Ser Claire nodded in agreement, "the longer the war drags on in the Clan, the better it will be for the Kingdom of Kruria... According to the intelligence, King Pedi had intended exactly this two months ago, and he even used some means to stop the orcs from ending the war quickly. ”

"If it weren't for him, the turmoil in the Klan Territory would have ended last year!" Andy Barrett had a fierce glint in his eyes, "He's overpowering everything behind his back, overpowering this damn Crane Territory battlefield... From the Orc Civil War to the Klan War, there are Kru spies everywhere, corrupting our flesh and blood like maggots. ”

Andy looked excited, and the anger in his heart was irrepressibly vented.

"There's nothing wrong with being a king with Pedy Reagan being there. Sir Claire commented, "It is one of the rules of aristocratic survival to take every opportunity to weaken one's potential enemies. ”

Andy snorted and stopped the topic, pointing to the three letters on the table, "These are all letters from Peddy Reagan... I can't mistake his words, never will, and he used the code between the two of us..."

"In his last letter, he even threatens us with the phrase 'cut off trade routes' to help the orcs end the war in Klan's territory as soon as possible. Andy Barrett tapped his fingers on the edge of the table with a rhythmic tap, "This doesn't make sense... What the hell does Pedy Reagan want to do?"

Sir Claire had finished reading three letters at this moment, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Unless something more important is about to happen than the Battle of Clan, he—" he shook his head and did not continue, "but with the situation on the entire continent, it is almost impossible for something more important to happen than the Battle of Crane. ”

"Unless—" Sir Claire and Andy Barrett looked at each other, "unless King Pedi wants to declare war on the Elven Alliance!" "But that's not right—" he immediately denied his own inference, "It would be more beneficial for the Kingdom of Cruria to wage war against the Elven Alliance if the war continued. ”

"Pedy Reagan has just abolished his cabinet and achieved centralized rule!" Andy Barrett said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Rumor has it that he has commissioned the goblins to convene a so-called 'summit' to determine his leadership and assert his authority. ”

Andy Barrett's tone was a little cold, or rather jealous, "Do you think Peddie Reagan... Does he want to use the victory of this war to declare the hegemony of the 'trade circle' over the entire continent, and then convene a 'summit' meeting to determine his hegemony in the Alan continent. ”

Sir Claire frowned, and after a moment of silence, said, "Well... This is the only clear reason that can be explained. ”

"Whatever reason Pedy Reagan has for supporting the Orcs in the war, we must make a choice now... Peddy Reagan made it clear that he had to get an answer by twelve o'clock at noon on the 6th. Andy Barrett frowned, and couldn't help but curse after saying this: "I hate such undisguised threats, damn Pedy Reagan, damn the Reagan family, I curse them!"

"We—" Sir Claire thought for a few seconds with her head down, then looked at Andy Barrett and said in the affirmative, "We can now reply to King Pedi for his war against the Clans." ”

He said in a low voice, "Because, whether we agree or not, the decisive battle between the Alliance and the Orcs will begin...", he pointed to the three letters on the table, "King Pedi has taken the place of the Orcs, and our Alliance is actively making final preparations. ”

Sir Claire said this, suddenly closed his mouth tightly, and after pondering for several minutes under Andy Barrett's gaze, he continued: "I heard that within the Alliance, most people, including General Angros, believe that the Orcs' counteroffensive in the Western Continent is just for show, because the Orcs reinforced the five banner regiments of the Western Battalion, which could have swept away the blockade of the coalition with the power of thunder and reinforced the grassland battlefield north of Bivest Town..."

"But the fact is that after the five orc banner groups arrived in the Western Continent, they were only putting on a show on the blockade line, and did not launch a larger-scale counteroffensive except for attracting most of the alliance's main army. Sir Claire had a mocking smile on her face, "Many people think that this is the political ploy of Shikan-Silveraxe, and that he is looking for a reason for the great retreat that will follow. ”

"This is the usual method of the aristocracy of the old empire... They always like to impose their ideas on others, thinking that everyone is just as stupid and arrogant as they are. Andy Barrett shrugged, "So, do you have any good advice?"

Sir Claire's eyes flashed, and she had a strange feeling under the light of the candle flame, and said in a small voice like a ghostly whisper: "It can be seen from the attitude of King Pedi that the orcs are not unprepared for the upcoming decisive battle as the staff analyzed, they seem to have forgotten that the initiators of this war are orcs..."

"What do you think will happen if the Alliance forces take on the orcs in their current state?" he asked himself, "At least not as rosily as General Angros imagined...", Claire said with a mocking smile on her lips.

"So, that's why orcs were chosen?"

"The orcs are well prepared, with the full backing of the goblins and the kingdom of Kruria, and what about our alliance? Sir Claire continued, "Moreover, the Crane Collar was given up by Shikan-Silveraxe himself—" his gaze was solemn, "no matter how you look at it, the orcs will be the victors in this war." ”

"But," he said, "it won't do us much good if the orcs win the war in Klan's territory so easily... We have to make it a little more difficult for the orcs so that we can show our role and distribute more power in the future distribution of benefits in the Klan Territory. ”

Andy Barrett's eyes flashed, "What do you think?"

Sir Claire looked at the three letters on the table, "Now within the League, the victory is already being celebrated in advance... This is very dangerous, and as allies we should warn them of the impending danger. He looked at Andy Barrett and pointed to the three letters, "How would Onglos feel if he saw them?"