"First of all, please present your respective swords on the table to prove your attendees—and then we can begin. ”

Connod's voice sounded slowly, and he drew the long sword at his waist—the pure black sword was engraved with the Iron Crown—and placed it flat on the table first.

The Mithril sword that symbolizes the Prince of East Sakland, the royal power.

Almost as soon as the words fell, Yuri Wirtz drew his saber—a broad-bladed dagger forged for stabbing to the point of being so simple that it was almost decorated—and placed it in the position corresponding to Connad's saber.

Blade of Ellemont, eagle beak.

"Bang!"

Ruben and Salica drew their swords at the same time, similar to Boe's "Iron Rider" Mithril Knife, symbolizing that Lothair's "minions" were also a knife, but the blade was straight, more like a longsword with a single blade.

With a sneer with a complicated expression, Nolan Ode, who glanced at Loren from time to time, pulled out a heavy weapon that resembled a mountain knife from his back waist;

This hideous-looking weapon has a rather "poetic" name... Lone.

The weapon screeched on the table, and all eyes turned in the same direction.

"It's your turn, Duke Byrne. Raising his gaze, Conod stared indifferently at the black-haired wizard and the hilt of the sword behind his shoulder:

"Put the 'Dawn' on this table. ”

Every word he said was extremely serious.

Loren's expression tightened slightly, and his right hand pressed the hilt of the sword behind his back.

Conod said to hand over the sword and the meeting would officially begin... Does that mean that he will not only exclude the church and the imperial aristocracy, but also Brandon?

No... This should be his original purpose - to eliminate Brandon and negotiate with the six principalities alone, so as to get the six principalities to come to an agreement with him without the interference of the second person.

The reason and reason are also very simple, because even the six principalities are closer to Brandon... Including Byrne, and Brandon's interests are not entirely aligned.

He did this in order to weaken the influence of his "Imperial Declaration" and make him Conod, as the sole representative of the royal family of de Salion, negotiate with the six principalities - even if everyone knew that Brandon was in the imperial capital, he would pretend that this disgraced prince did not exist!

"Duke of Byrne, Your Excellency Loren Turin. ”

Conod's words interrupted Loren's thoughts, and his cold eyes looked at him with a bit of provocation: "Everyone... are waiting for you. ”

The black-haired wizard didn't make eye contact with him, and his gaze shifted to the side of Master Corona.

The Wizard Tower's leader's expression was playful, as if he was also waiting for his choice.

The atmosphere became a little tense.

"Bell ——!"

After five seconds of silence, Loren held the sword in one hand and placed the "Dawn" on the table—the sword body was a full man high, just covering Connad's "royal power" underneath.

Almost at the same time, the black-haired wizard could clearly feel the gaze around him staring at him, and all of them were relieved.

Seeing this scene, Master Corona didn't say anything, just smiled a little more.

The corners of Conod's mouth were slightly hooked.

It's not obvious yet, but at least a small comeback turned into a victory.

"In that case, then in my capacity as the Prince of East Sakland, I officially announce that the Sixth Council of the Knights of the Edgeworth Knights has been officially formed. ”

With a heavy and solemn voice, the seven people in the empty hall sat in their respective seats—only the seat belonging to the "Emperor of the Sakran Empire" was vacant.

"Sixth Parliament?" said to himself as Ruben Fried sat down, his face full of confusion, "It's been almost three hundred years... Why are we in the 6th Council of the Knights?"

A hint of helplessness flashed in the corner of his eyes, and Yuli Wirtz sighed lightly, lowered his voice and explained helplessly: "Because the existence of the Edgeworth Knights itself is quite controversial, so after His Majesty Eckhart I, only five supreme emperors have reorganized the knights because of the invasion of northern monsters, among them are the 'Sage' Brandon I, the Dragon Empress Charlotte......"

"No, no, little Yuri, you misunderstood me. ”

Ruben shook his head with a strange expression, and hurriedly stopped Archduke Wirtz who still wanted to continue: "I'm not interested in these old-fashioned stories, the history of Lothair alone is enough to give me a headache." ”

"I mean... Even the name 'Knights of Edgeworth' was only known to me when I came, and if he hadn't just mentioned it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I would have thought we were in the second Council of the Knights!"

"......" Yuli Wirtz.

Tugging at the corners of his mouth, Loren withdrew his attention from the whispers between the two of them and shifted his attention back to Conrad.

"Since Eckhart I, the Knights of Edgeworth have only formed six councils, each of which is at a critical juncture for the survival of the Empire, why?"

Conod, who frowned, said in a cold and heavy voice: "Because this means that the imperial system can no longer withstand the crisis, and all power and resources must be concentrated in a more direct way in the hands of the smallest group of people as much as possible." ”

"And this group of people will be given the authority to control the entire empire, and the responsibility to save it, and every vote and decision of the Council of the Knights will decide tens of thousands of lives, and the land they live in... Whether it still exists. ”

"Eckhart I went north to defend against the enemy in the Broken Boundary Mountain, Brandon the 'Sage' fought in the Valley of the Blood, and the Black Duke was ordered to save the Empire from danger," Conod said, the more solemn his voice became, even with a hint ......of trembling:

"But compared to us, the dangers that the previous five Orders of Edgeworth have encountered... It's not worth mentioning!"

"Because at that time, they were closely united by the emperor's side;"

"At that time, they knew exactly whose orders they should obey and where the enemy was;

"At that time, they also had an emperor!"

The trembling and heavy voice added a touch of tension and unease to the atmosphere in the hall.

"As the Duke of Byrne mentions in his letter, the Azorean elves and their masterminds behind them are an enemy so powerful that we may not be able to win even if we are united. With his hands on the table, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince slowly got up:

"They killed our emperor, and they wanted to kill everyone present, and they showed off their force so much that we had no choice but to know when or where they would invade.

"Edgeworth... What do we do? What should we do to defend ourselves against this unprecedented enemy?"

After speaking, Conod, who was standing in front of his seat, remained motionless, staring at the black-haired wizard's face with a solemn gaze.

How should I be... Isn't the answer already obvious?

Conod de Salion... What he just said almost told the "answer" directly to everyone - we don't have an emperor, we need an emperor.

Now, it is time for the members of the "Noble Order of Edgeworth" to elect an emperor.

What's more critical is that Loren's "Imperial Declaration" has clearly stated that he wants to elect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to become the supreme emperor of the thirteenth generation... So Loren couldn't have changed his tune again.

Conod... He is using his identity to turn passivity into initiative, gradually turning the "preemptive advantage" occupied by Brandon and Loren into his, from "Byrne and the dukes jointly elected Conod as the emperor" to "the six dukes agree with His Royal Highness Connad's idea and support him as emperor".

The meaning of a few words can be very different.

The former means that Conrad owes Loren and Brandon a big favor, and the latter is that he is reasonable and legitimate, and he gets what he deserves under the unanimous demand of the whole empire.

In other words, Conod did not have the sincerity to cooperate and planned to suppress himself and Brandon in this way?

Loren, whose face did not change, looked at eye level, pretending not to see the other party's gaze.

"What to do, I think it's pretty simple. ”

With a sinister smile on the corner of his mouth, Nolan Ode suddenly spoke, shrugging his shoulders as if casually coping with two sentences: "Didn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince say, we don't have an emperor - that's not easy, just choose an emperor to come out!"

Well?!

Everyone present was stunned, and even Conod couldn't help but turn his gaze to Nolan Ode.

Such words of "loyalty to the country" actually came from the mouth of the Duke of Arles, who was most disgusted with the empire and de Salion?

Seeing the pairs of eyes that converged, the expression of the Duke of Arles, who was smiling, became even more playful: "Of course, since you want to choose an emperor, it is a big problem to choose who to choose." ”

"I mean... We must not be too unfair, after all, there are many royals in the twelfth and thirteenth generations, and if we all nominate the same person, it is a bit of a suspicion of 'king' designation. ”

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became cold.

Conod, who was faintly aware of his thoughts, turned pale, frowned and looked at Nolan Ode: "Duke of Arles, what do you want to say?"

"It's easy! Now you're the only one in the De Salion royal family, wouldn't it be too fake if we all elected you? ”

Nolan Ode licked his chapped lips and smiled brighter: "So I propose - everyone in the room will nominate a member of the De Salion royal family, see who can convince whom, and then make a decision!"

In the astonishing dead silence, not only was there no sound, but everyone's expressions seemed to be frozen.

This guy... He came here to make trouble!

As the words fell, the thought appeared on the faces of both the black-haired wizard and Yuri Wirtz.

"Oops... I think that's a good idea!" Ruvin's eyes lit up, and he didn't notice the sharp sword-like gaze of the Duke of Ellemont beside him, and he couldn't wait to press his head directly on the table: "The most important thing is that it sounds fair!"

"That's right, it's right, reconsideration!" said the swaggering Sarika Jonah also slapped the table, as excited as if she didn't think it was too big enough:

"That's how it should be - everyone chooses one, one person, one vote, and see who can convince whom!"

Sitting on the very edge, the Corona Master was still smiling, showing no sign of wanting to step up and stop him.

Connad's face was like a haze, and although his expression did not change at all, it became darker and darker.

The dark-haired wizard, whose mouth twitched, pressed his mood and remained calm and silent.

It was an absolute surprise, but not an unexpected one.

The conflict between the House of Odo in Arles and the royal family of de Salion dates back almost to the founding of the Saclin Empire, a desolate principality on the southwestern frontier that could hardly find any "specialty" except for trolls.

They ostracized the Church of the Holy Cross, had territorial disputes with Lothair and Byrne, and the brave troll hunters fought valiantly and died heroically in the Valley of the Bloodshed, but most of the time they were adept at looting other caravans.

The merchant, robber, and thief who wanders the world is a direct portrayal of the Arles people, "Never go alone with an Arles, unless you are not worth robbing", a famous saying that was widespread in the southern part of the Empire.

So Nolan Ode... The Lord of Arles, who had come to this meeting neither in response to his own call nor for the "great good of the Empire";

He came to make trouble for Conod, the Empire and the royal family of de Salion.

"You've been quiet since then, Duke Loren Turin. ”

Nolan Ode, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly turned his attention to the black-haired wizard, looking expectant and curious: "I don't know what you think about it, what is your opinion?"

I feel like if you keep talking, you may not be far from death.

With a formulaic smile, Loren raised his head and looked at the dukes around him, as well as Conrad, who was already as heavy as water: "Since there are already three dukes who have made a decision, it is basically half; then I have no objection; but ......"

"I will keep my previous idea and elect His Royal Highness Crown Prince Conrad de Salion as the Supreme Emperor of the thirteenth generation of the Empire!"

Looking at Loren Turin, who was "righteous and strict", everyone's expressions were obviously a little stunned.

Conod's expression was thoughtful, while Yuri Wirtz silently bowed his head towards Loren, as if to affirm his willingness to stick to his attitude.

"Well, it seems that the Turin family is the Turin family, and the promises made will never change. Although he said this, Nolan Ode's expression was very disapproving: "I don't know if it's for the sake of righteousness, or for the sake of betraying His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

This guy ......

Ignoring the black-haired wizard's gaze, the Duke of Arles grinned and turned his gaze back to Conrad: "It's your turn, Your Royal Highness, Honorable Crown Prince. ”

"Do you think... Who should be recommended to be the next supreme emperor of the empire, and who is the most appropriate?"