On the border of West Sacland, a crow perched on a stone monument that read "Saclan-Lothair-E-Boden Junction", looked around, and then flew in the direction of Ebolden.

Beneath the black wings of the "squeak" shout, there is a dense barracks, flat like a chessboard in the endless wilderness.

The borders of the three principalities, which once had vast forests and streams, natural pastures, farmsteads, riverside markets, and prosperity through trade and commerce, were all but the roads beneath their feet were the wilderness where the fire burned and the army could camp.

And the regiment of Byrne-Ellemont Lothair, which had marched in the rain for several days, finally joined up with the regiment of Sacrambine in the north on a cloudless and sunny day.

In the camp, knights and nobles from the four principalities were three floors outside the Horn Castle Floating City, and the crowd continued to let out exclamations, sighs of wonder, and praise each other.

"Gentlemen, sir, sir, what do you do when you encounter an enemy?" a young apprentice wizard stood in the middle of the crowd, dancing with a bright spear in his hand:

"If you're a Byrne, you'll ride your horse and charge at your enemies with your armor on your body;

If you were a Sakrani, you would ask where my hundred-man team is, and where the shield wall is;

If you were a Lothair, you would pick up a bow and arrow, if you were an Elemandite, if you were a Ellemont, if you were a Boy, you would wield a scimitar, if you were a Arles, you would take up a tomahawk...... But this!"

The wizard apprentice slammed down, raised the Bright Light Spear above his head, and his eyes widened with an expression of wanting to eat people: "This is a spear, the Bright Light Spear type, alias 'Blooming Dragon Spear'... Guys believe me, there's a reason she's called that. ”

"The maximum firing range of 100 meters, the full firing range of 50 meters... What does this mean? It means that when your enemy is just a small black speck in your eye, you can kill him. ”

"And by the time he can point his weapon at you, you've already killed him at least twice!"

As he spoke, the wizard apprentice looked around: "All of you here... Has anyone participated in the defense of the imperial capital, and has anyone seen her power?"

Several of the Sakrands in the room raised their hands, and the Lothairians and Elems on the other side also nodded.

"Then you should know that she can make a hole in the strongest knight's armor even fifty meters away, a hundred meters... You don't even have time to blink. The expression of the wizard's apprentice was wonderful:

"A unique design, an unbeatable weapon, and you can kill your enemies with the touch of a finger without any effort... If you look at her, you will know what color the future is, and you will know what is the master of the future battlefield!"

"Tell me when your army appeared on the battlefield wielding 20,000 Kyauk-ray spears, 100 Kyauk-ray swords, and driving more than a dozen floating cities... Who is your opponent and who dares to stand in your way?"

"The answer is obvious! it must be an army like you, armed with these super alchemy weapons, because if he doesn't, he knows that he is killing himself!"

The words fell, and the wizard apprentice took a deep breath, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "And now... I'm honored to tell you that the Byrne Wizards' Guild has joined forces with the Nine-Pointed Star Wizard Tower to sell a thousand Bright Spears to the brave leaders!"

"Admittedly, such a terrible weapon is too much for disputes between principalities, but when it is used on the Azorean elves, let us chant the prestige of the Holy Cross and purify them with light, long live the Empire!"

"Long Live the Empire!!!"

Standing behind the cheering crowd, the black-haired wizard had a stunned expression on his face.

"That wizard apprentice... It's Tserrankovo, isn't it?" Loren muttered to himself as he turned his head to look at Isaac beside him, "I remember he's pretty quiet, when did he become like this... Also, why did he become your apprentice?"

The only son of Serrankovo's apothecary master Lusakkovo, in the "Imperial Trial Incident" in the imperial capital a few years ago, it was he who ran to the summer twilight courtyard to tell Loren about his father, which led to a series of troubles after that... Of course, he is basically not to blame.

Because of his father's death, Tserankovo's spiritual temple collapsed, and from then on, he could only engage in the simplest potion configuration and theoretical research, and could no longer have too much contact with the power of the void.

As soon as they met, Isaac recommended his "new apprentice" to Loren as a mentor.

"Why? Because I'm now the patriarch of the Wizard's Tower, and every patriarch must have at least one successor... Even if it's only temporary. Pouting as a matter of course, Isaac had a "what's the fuss" expression on his face:

"Besides, I'm mostly engaged in the practical study of occult theories plus the power of the Void... As long as the talent is good enough, it doesn't matter if you can contact the power of the void or not, for example, I have only a handful of experience in my life that I have personally practiced, and I have not become a master?"

"What's more... He's already my 'ex-apprentice'. ”

Isaac let out a long breath, seemingly discouraged.

"Oh, why?"

"Because the Turin family of the Red Blood Castle has officially sent an invitation to Lord Serankovo to become the emissary of the Byrne Wizards' Guild, responsible for all negotiations related to the Wizards' Guild. ”

Charlotte Turin, who appeared at some point, stood beside the black-haired wizard with her head up, and looked at him with her proud little chin cocked:

"Regardless of the conditions of treatment or the status of the title, it is three times that of a wizard tower elder is the heir to prepare, of course, there is no malice in this, just because he is indeed worth so much. ”

Facing the high-spirited and very handsome Countess of Red Blood Castle, the angry Isaac hugged his shoulders and twisted his head to the side not to look at her.

The black-haired wizard, who curiously glanced between the two and could probably guess what was going on, forced a smile: "Why?"

"Why? How dare you ask, my duke!" Charlotte, who gave him a blank look, turned her gaze to the wizard apprentice who was still shouting loudly in the crowd:

"Eight thousand Bright Light Spears, twenty Light Swords, plus a floating city... Even if there are materials from the imperial capital, do you know how much it will cost to maintain such a standing army?!"

"Not to mention that Byrne has already contributed 100,000 troops to this war, a third of the expenditure on weapons, a quarter of the logistics expenditure, tens of thousands of loads filled with wheat, iron ingots, potatoes, wine, cloth... Wagons and cargo ships of all kinds filled the Imperial Avenue and the Gem River route, and half of these wagons and cargo ships were also provided by Byrne!"

"As it matters to the Empire, of course I understand that Byrne must do her duty, but it is a pity that she only has a duke who knows how to keep demanding from her, and if no one is willing to stand up and think of ways to save and optimize expenses, a rich man like Byrne cannot afford such a waste!"

The Countess, who was huffing, was so excited that her cheeks were slightly dyed pink.

Looking at her appearance, Loren was a little embarrassed.

"So... In order to subsidize the family, you are going to sell a stock of Kyaukguang spears at a high price among these nobles?"

"It's not what you think. ”

With a cold snort, Charlotte's cheeks turned even redder when she heard the word "subsidized households": "Ain told me that the loss rate of this weapon is very high, of course, we can't sell the already small stock to others before the war, otherwise what weapons should our soldiers use at that time?"

"Then you're going to ......"

"Quite simply, we sell 'ownership'. ”

"Ownership?"

"Still don't understand?"

Charlotte, who looked disappointed, shook her head, and a hidden pride flashed in the corner of her eyes: "To put it bluntly, it's like the relationship between the duke and the levy soldiers under the earl." ”

"These armies belong to the Count, but in time of war the Count must place his army under the Duke's unified jurisdiction, training and assignment, and when the war is over they will be disbanded and the surviving soldiers will return to the Count's command... Got it?"

Those who understand cannot be more incomprehensible.

Basically, all those who paid a lot of money for a weapon would have their coat of arms and name engraved on it to indicate ownership, but the right to use it would still go to Byrne's marksmen, and when the war was over, all weapons that had not been damaged would be returned to the owner who "owned them".

And how many people are willing to be such a nominal wrongdoer... If you don't have the capital to buy and sell, you can make money by selling an extra branch, and after the war, of course, you can go back, because you don't need it anyway.

"Is anyone really willing to buy it?" Loren questioned.

"A thousand have already been sold, and the current one thousand is the second batch of stock. ”

Well?!

Charlotte, who didn't change her face, raised her gaze and glanced at the black-haired wizard with a surprised face: "Do you understand now, why I must dig this apprentice from Isaac?"

Loren understood again.

No wonder Lena De Salion would watch Charlotte "bully" Isaac if she guessed correctly, in this transaction, she also has a share of all Isaac's affairs, and the profit should be not small.

Then again, it can make Isaac swallow his anger... It means that even a small wizard can get dividends, after all, this thing is the result of the two of them, and the inscription card slot that Ain prepared on the spear can also come in handy......

Well, Isaac was right, we really got to know a bunch of amazing women.

The black-haired wizard sighed with emotion.

"Why, are these the only questions?" said a little smug Charlotte:

"I thought you'd ask... Why am I here? ”

"I don't think our Countess of the Red Blood Castle should be questioned wherever she appears. Loren smiled slightly: "What's more... Aren't you about to tell me?"

"Who said that?"

Deliberately lowering her voice, the countess showed a very useful expression: "This battle of Eberden is no longer just a war, it is related to the change of the pattern of the empire in the next twenty years. ”

"Anyone who appears in this war will become an important figure for the next twenty years, and conversely, all those who do not appear will be insignificant, and will not be mentioned or remembered, and the chronicles of the empire will not even be handed down to them, but will be placed in the roster of their contemporaries. ”

"The direct bloodline of the Turin family will never appear in the roster, and will always occupy a place in the chronicles!"

The sonorous and powerful words made Charlotte's expression very heavy: "If you can't let the Turin family become the savior of this war, if you can't let Byrne control the southern part of the empire in the next twenty years, and even one day rule half of the empire, and compete with De Salion in the Heavenly Dome Palace......"

"I, Charlotte Turin... It will be a shame that will always be remembered in the history of the House of Turin, and our descendants will never forgive me for paying such a heavy price and getting nothing, watching the hegemony of the House of Turin dissipate... Absolutely not, let this happen!"

"This is my mission, not yours... Loren. The countess calmed down her agitation: "Don't worry, I have a sense of measure, and what to do and what not to do will not embarrass you... Still have questions?"

“...... There is only one. The black-haired wizard asked, "Where is our Bishop Webb, where is he now?"

"Outside the barracks, with Ain, they are said to be preaching to a group of elves from the Ancient Wood Forest. As she spoke, even Charlotte herself showed a somewhat strange expression:

"I don't really understand... Is there really a spirit who believes in the Holy Cross?"

"Yes, the vast majority of people on our side. ”

"Oh, like a female elf who gets too close to a certain guy?"

“...... I think there should be some misunderstanding here. ”

"I don't think so. ”

Charlotte, who snorted coldly, turned her head and asked casually, "By the way, what are you looking for our Bishop of Byrne?"

"It's nothing, I just want to know about the Old Scriptures and the Holy Cross and the like, purely because... Uh, what's that look in your eyes?"

The countess, whose eyes widened and suddenly turned back, startled the black-haired wizard.

"I don't know... You're a wizard, when did you start paying attention to this?"

"Can't you?"

"It's not that you can't, it's just... You're not very religious, are you? No, that's too polite to say, you're probably the type of anti-church, how did you think of getting into contact with this?!"

"Maybe it was because I suddenly woke up, realized the importance of faith in my life and soul, was inspired by the Holy Cross... Is this an explanation?"

"No, but I don't care either, because it's definitely because this thing is useful for one of your plans, or what you're going to do with it. Charlotte shook her head:

Because true believers never ask why, only people like you will get to the bottom of it. ”

"......" Loren Turin.