"Has Her Highness Rena been waiting here for a long time?"

"The court mage has relayed to me what happened over there at the fortress, and it looks like another attack on you...... So, the enemies we've encountered along the way have actually been led by you and your companions? ”

"It's a possibility, but my companions and I won't admit it."

"It doesn't matter, at least this will clear your suspicions, after all, if you are the ultimate target of those little people, then you are not an undercover agent in our team, are you?"

“…… Alas. ”

No longer listening to the faint voice in his ears, Duan Qing, who was sitting in the town hall, then withdrew his gaze from the two people who were negotiating not far away, Rena and Xue Ling Phantom Ice, and the only attention that remained there was no longer paying attention to what he was talking about with the representative of the investigation team as a representative of the Qingling Adventure Group: "How long have you been here?" ”

"Probably...... Three days? The wine glass in his hand rotated slightly, and Lot, who was sitting opposite Duan Qing, replied hesitantly: "I can't remember the specific time, I rushed here overnight to avoid the heavy rain, but I didn't expect that this rain not only fell for so long, but also didn't even show any signs of movement......

"And what about the talks with the principality?" Duan Qing asked in a deep voice, "What difficulties have you encountered?" ”

"Of course, the nobles of these principalities in front of us are in front of us." Lot's gaze fell on several figures on the other side of the hall: "These so-called nobles, who are even more ruthless than the Empire, not only have they always doubted our intentions, but they also hold on to what happened a few days ago......"

"If the Empire really wanted to be against the principality, our team wouldn't have gone into the Talon Plains at all." The voice belonging to Duploma then interjected into the conversation between the two men, accompanied by the familiar figure of the middle-aged nobleman walking slowly with a top hat: "If there is really a problem with the Fars Fortress, we who have already come to the territory of the Talon Plain will have no possibility of escaping - this simple truth, those principalities will never fail to see it." ”

"Everything is just a means to suppress the enemy." Lott also nodded: "Your Majesty will never use Her Royal Highness Princess Rena as a sacrifice to create another excuse to attack the principality." ”

"That's right, that's right." He nodded his head with a smile, and the smile on the face of Diploma, who was sitting next to the two, also became teasing: "Even if there is a real accident, our Knight Lott will do his best to rescue His Highness Rena, right?" ”

"You, what are you talking about? Of course I'll do what I can, it's my duty as captain of the guard—"

The atmosphere around the wine table changed a little bit, accompanied by a little unnatural flush on the face of Lot, who was holding the wine glass, and Duan Qing, who was looking at all this, didn't seem to have any idea of joking, and there was a little more memory in the face that emerged: "War...... The last time the two countries fought each other seemed to be a year ago, and it almost succeeded, didn't it?

"On the face of it, it is." Stopping his joking thoughts, Diproma's gaze became much calmer: "But even if the empire really occupies Tania, the principality will not be easily destroyed, it is just a short-lived advantage." ”

"We really underestimated the courage of the Speaker Pamir, and we also underestimated the strength of the adventurers of the principality." Lot's gaze also deepened: "The 'White Wolf' Combion, who once thought he was about to make a great feat, later admitted this fact, and so did Bernard, and as time went on, the freelancers affiliated with the Adventurers' Guild seemed to have become more and more powerful. ”

"If someone can organize them behind the scenes, they may be able to become the most powerful army in the world." Diploma, who was on the side, sighed and said: "This is probably one of the reasons why Amman was finally sanctioned, and he himself should know this...... Ah, yes, and you. ”

"Your so-called Qingling Adventure Office has probably suffered the same unwarranted disaster." He smiled and shook his head: "I know that your original intention and intention have nothing to do with this, but what you did did touch too many nerves, those nobles didn't even have time to rob, how could they let anyone among you adventurers stand up again and reintegrate everything?" ”

"Your Excellency, do you mean to say...... Among these people who attacked us, there were also nobles of the empire who intervened? Duan Qing raised his eyebrows: "Are they taking this opportunity to kill us behind their backs?" ”

"I don't rule out the possibility of that." Diploma pointed in the direction of the west: "Those who attacked the fortress are not said to be a group of bandits and bandits entrenched in the territory of the empire?" Others may not know the tricks, but I do know who their backgrounds and secret supporters are. ”

But the Red Lotus Gang is an exception.

Silently reciting this sentence in his heart, Duan Qing then pulled out a dry smile on his face: "Then you mean to say that those people who surrounded and wanted to attack the castle of Tibilisi were also secretly instructed by some of the imperial nobles?" ”

"It must have been the Prime Minister and his men who did it." Diproma's face became extremely determined: "They are trying to transfer the troops of the imperial capital in this way, so as to create the best opportunity for them to launch a rebellion and assassinate His Majesty the Emperor...... Hum! If it weren't for His Majesty the Emperor's auspicious celestial appearance and triggered the miracle of the empire, our empire still doesn't know what would have become! ”

"Hehe, hehe."

Let out a few dry laughs, Duan Qing, who was touching his nose, then hid his expression in the action of bowing his head: "But if you continue to scrutinize like this, maybe it won't be Caldera who wants to cause this situation." ”

"What do you mean—"

Glancing up at the eldest princess Rena, who was still talking to the white-haired woman not far away, Diploma then hurriedly shook her head: "No, no, no, this is impossible, no matter how much you have ideas, Her Royal Highness Rena will not do such a rebellious thing...... I warn you, adventurers, not to be cranky. ”

"I'm just casually talking, I'm also one of the victims, okay?"

"Lin Yuan Shui Shui once worked hard with us in the miracle night of the imperial capital, and he will never have the idea of rebelling against the empire, I can not only guarantee this, but it is also a fact that I, Lotter Gloria, have been emphasizing."

"Alright, I know that you and Her Highness Rena have been getting close lately. Alas, being young is good, and it only took a few days to replace my old bones in the heart of His Highness...... Well? ”

As if noticing something, the half-joking middle-aged nobleman suddenly turned his gaze to the hall, only to see that Xue Lingphantom Bing, who was sitting there, had already stood up with a smile at this time, and shook hands with Rena, who also stood up. The sound of calm and steady footsteps then came towards the corner where Duan Qing and the others were, accompanied by the figure of Ling Ran, a white-haired female swordsman who crossed many lines of sight, ignoring these sights, and then walked straight in front of Duan Qing, quietly pointing in the direction where she came; "Your Highness let you pass."

"Isn't it enough to ask you alone? What did you tell her? ”

"It's just a bit of a story about what's happened recently, and the rest isn't a big deal."

"Okay, I got it."

The brief exchange ended quickly with the exchange of figures between the two people, and Duan Qing, who brought back everyone's attention, then walked a few steps to the neat square table near the window of the hall, and the blonde princess, who had been leaning here, also withdrew her gaze from the heavy rain outside the window, and gestured to the seat that had just been cleaned up opposite Duan Qing with extremely elegant movements: "Please take a seat, Wiggins's apprentice." ”

"How do you know?"

There was a unique fragrance from the imperial woman's body, and Duan Qing, who looked at Her Royal Highness Rena, showed a surprised expression on her face: "Did our captain tell you just now?" ”

"It was the magician next to me who told me."

A faint smile escaped from the corner of her mouth, and Rena moved the hand on her chin slightly: "They investigated your whereabouts in Zaraha City a little, and then they heard about the fact that the Mage Council used to meet in the city, and the results were ...... You should know all about it, too. ”

"You're really well-informed among your magicians." So Duan Qing had no choice but to purse his mouth: "Don't deliberately call me that, my ability is still far from those guys in the Council of Seven, if you want to expect me to do something, it may be too much." ”

"I'm just very interested in you as a person."

The beautiful cheeks on the back of her hand finally turned back a little, and Rena's gaze finally moved back to Duan Qing's body from the rain curtain outside: "Your captain just described to me what you have experienced since I left, it sounds very exciting, but-"

"With the strength you've shown so far, you and your companions don't look like guys who can hold off so many powerful enemies." The curved eyelashes flashed back and forth, and her interested gaze kept sweeping back and forth on Duan Qing's face: "Is it hiding strength?" Or is there some other reason? ”

"You guessed it right, the people of our adventure group are actually a group of hidden masters." His gaze stayed in the direction of Violet, who was motionless in his own team, for a moment, and Duan Qing, who patted his chest, then showed an extremely confident smile: "If we don't have this ability, how dare we call ourselves 'Qingling Universal Office'?" ”

"Okay." I don't know if I believed Duan Qing's words, a few pleasant chuckles escaped from Rena's youthful and beautiful face: "Then the story of repelling the master who can smash the fortress gate with a sword, and the story of repelling the magician who can block the space, can I also take it as true?" ”

"Even if His Highness still questions our position, His Highness shouldn't question His Majesty the Emperor's vision." Duan Qing sighed deeply: "I heard that you hurriedly summoned us back because you encountered a great obstacle on the Duchy's side, but you are still suspicious of us ......"

"That's why I need to confirm your identity further." Rena's gaze took on a bit of seriousness: "Otherwise, how dare I entrust you with an important task?" ”

"An important task?" Duan Qing asked inexplicably, "What important task?" ”

"Of course, it's a task to negotiate with the principality."

There weren't too many visitors in the quiet hall at this time, and naturally there wasn't much noise, and the rustling and rain outside the window couldn't be an obstacle to Duan Qing's hearing at this time, allowing him to clearly distinguish what Princess Rena meant: "I plan to give you the right to negotiate with the principality, how about it?" ”

"What?"

Sitting in place and stunned for a moment, Duan Qing then stared at his eyes: "How come?" Right now? Why? ”

"Because I and Diploma have nothing more to do." Rena shook her head slightly: "The progress of the negotiations has not progressed for a few days, and the principality is not willing to let us get close to Tania for half a point, what happened to Chris, and why did the principality feel so disgusted...... We still don't know. ”

"We need a new breakthrough." She stretched out her arm wrapped in the royal dress, and Ruyu's fingers shone dazzlingly in front of Duan Qing: "After the test of this time, I think only you can be up to this great task." ”

"This ......"

I don't know whether I should doubt the other party's true intentions or worry about my future, Duan Qing's voice became a lot more hesitant: "Well...... Hehe, hehe, it happened so suddenly that I didn't know what to do. ”

"It's normal for you to have some hesitation when you first arrive." Signaling to the hall on the side, Rena's expression still maintained an elegant smile: "And I see that your team members are all injured and need a period of rest." ”

"To show our trust and sincerity in you, we will support you with all our supplies." She withdrew her arm and rested it on her jaw, "Of course, I'll give you some time to get to know each other." ”

"Understand?" Duan Qing blinked his eyes: "What do you know?" ”

"Of course, it's time to understand the current situation."

Her gaze shifted to the side of the square table, and Rena's gaze looked in the direction of the idle figures belonging to the principality's side: "They are all over there, and they are usually responsible for guarding and monitoring us, if you want to know some details-"

"I suggest you start with that fat man."