It stands to reason that both men were close confidants of the Silver Queen, and the slightest mistake was not enough to make them so frightened, but just two days ago—two nights ago, to be exact, the Empire had suddenly lost contact with the fortress of Pasilian—anyone with even a modicum of sanity understood what that meant. Bad premonitions are often the most effective, and within twenty-four hours, the bad news comes like snowflakes.

First, the Pegasus Knights of Asaph's Imperial garrison spotted a large legion in the Bear Lake area, and then another Scout Cavalry spotted another legion further south in the Valley of the Silver.

Twenty-seven hours later, Vargs, Hemlock Town, and Leaf Avenue were confirmed to have fallen.

Twenty-nine hours later, the twin towns of Nafer and Taris in the northern part of the Bear Lake region were in a hurry, and the trail of an unfamiliar army was found on the outskirts of Graystone, a city downstream of the Mighty Way.

Thirty-four hours later, the twin towns of South Town were lost, and two hours later, North Town was lost.

Thirty-seven hours later, an Imperial outpost on the edge of the Boot Glade received some of the remnants from the south, including Baron Pyrris of the Cooper family.

Forty-four hours later, the town of Greystone was besieged.

Half an hour later, the cavalry of the Emerald Claw Fortress finally brought back the definite news that the Passilian Fortress had been lost, and a large army of Jogandegang was attacking along the eastern branch of the Broken Sword Mountains in the direction of Aernor Fort, and the Imperial Fortress Legion was retreating.

Fifteen minutes earlier, Russeph had confirmed the fall, and the Pegasus Knight swept over the city, observing that the city was suspected to have been bombarded with spells over the Twelve Rings, and that none of the city's inhabitants had survived.

The invasion of the Empire by Chogendegang has led to the fall of most of Anzlova, the Evergreen Walkway is in danger, and the fortresses of the Rokozy-Broken Sword Mountains have become a crumbling star in the distance.

It seemed like an instant. One terrible news after another spread, centered on the White Rose Garden, like a plague throughout the imperial capital--the news followed the knights on horseback from the Palace of St. Contipès and entered the mansions of the heads of the dukes' palaces, earls' palaces, forbidden armies, knights, and temples, like a spark of fire splashing into the oil pool, igniting the manors. Under the arched windows, above the attic, in the private rooms of the nobles, candles were lit, and then figures in civilian clothes with their heads covered came out the back doors, through the streets, and into the homes of the nobles, large and small.

Then the servants appeared, hurrying out of their master's mansion, in their chariots, or on their legs. Travel to the thousands of unknown corners of the city; Whispered news passed from word of mouth to the next, and the next one boarded the carriage and went down the street to the twenty-two gates of the Rushtower, and before dawn countless carriages left the city and headed in all directions of the empire - some to the countryside, some to the castle. Some went to the docks, and the news of the war rode the wind and the waves with them. Spread across the empire.

That's Travis. Mr. Bernie with Dragoon Commander Kevin. Morality. A qiē occurred in the forty-eight hours before Mr. Santa Valía walked into the white rose.

At this moment, in front of Constance, the commander of the dragoon still seemed a little sane, and Mr. Travis was almost trembling, the former was responsible for the promotion and evaluation of the knights of the inner court, while he was mainly responsible for intelligence gathering and monitoring. Apparently to be counted on his head. The knight leader trembled and wanted to explain to the supreme man of the empire in front of him, but Constance needed not an explanation, but an answer.

The two of them were not the only ones in the Queen's study, and the leading figures of the empire had already gathered at this moment. Standing at the front, you can see Marquis Nigel, the leader of the White Legion, Count Bandilon, who has a close relationship with the Imperial Navy, Donnas, Little Nedwin, the head of the Cecil family, the current leader of the Blue Legion, Count Rodney, and Archduke Helix, behind them there are some nobles from other families, most of them are also close ministers around His Majesty on weekdays, plus the envoys of the Temple of Fire, these people are roughly divided into three camps, and the nobles who are close to the Parut family have obvious gloomy faces, Most of the nobles of the Cecil family and the military watched this scene with a smile on their faces, and the last group of people, led by Archduke Helix and Chancellor Niedwin Jr., had a straight face, and there was no look on their faces.

As for Her Majesty the Queen herself, Her Majesty the Queen's expression was as usual, and there was no trace of anger in her eyes, and of course there would be no trace of tolerance, but anyone who knew a little about the supreme person of the empire would understand that she was often the most terrifying in this state.

It was a long time before Constance finally spoke.

She glanced at the two of them—although Her Majesty still looked like a girl, but her calm eyes showed that Her Majesty the Queen was coming from the city—and she said coldly: "This is the second time, my dear Parut family, and you nobles of the south, have been so unworthy of your status in recent times, Mr. Chief, whether you or your brother, I am really disappointed, you have not said a word, are you waiting for me to speak?" ”

Hearing this, most of the nobles of the Cecil family gloated, while the soldiers had a playful look, only Nedwin frowned, and in his memory, the queen rarely made her attitude so clear - but this was the third time in recent times, whether it was the rebuke of the Cecil family at the Palace of St. Contipes, or the rebuke of the Grand Duke of Parut in the White Rose Garden, and her attitude at the moment, both inside and out.

But in Nedwin's opinion, it was just strange, but Donus had already changed his face, and the thunderous fury from the throne was so terrible that it couldn't help but make people tremble, he gritted his teeth and didn't dare to speak.

And Travis almost shook a little, although his majesty said the word 'dear', but his face was almost blue when he heard it, and he lingered again and again before he had to reply respectfully: "Don't dare, Your Majesty." ”

"Then tell me, west of Emerald Paw Fortress, how are the lions of Toquinine moving?"

"There is no movement, Your Majesty." Travis quickly wiped his sweat and replied.

"What about the elves of the Four Realms?"

This time it was Nigel, the leader of the White Legion, who shook his head: "There is no action, but the elves should not have received news yet." Otherwise, they wouldn't have given up this opportunity. ”

"So at least Qiaogendigang has nothing to do with the wind elves?" Constance asked.

When she asked this question, she frowned slightly, as if she was thinking about something, but it gave people a faint feeling that the queen's mind was not above the qiē that was happening right now.

Like Prime Minister Nedwin Jr., Nigel seems to be aware of this. However, this doubt only flashed in his heart, and then he shook his head: "There shouldn't be." ”

"What about the lions of Toquinine?"

"The lionmen should be waiting for news, and they will do it as soon as Jogendigon's army arrives at Fort Airnor." Little Niedwin glanced at Her Majesty the Queen, and finally spoke.

"How big is the army of Jogandigan?" Constance glanced at the young Zai, then looked away, putting pressure on Travis.

The latter was sweating profusely, "Your Majesty, it's not clear." But they should have at least two corps in Anzlova. ”

The Silver Queen was silent, as if calculating something.

Little Nedwin pondered for a moment, and then spoke: "It is very likely that those underground kings have already made a move, otherwise to reach this scale, at least half of the lords of Qiaogendigang will need to be dispatched. ”

"Their target is Asaph," Constance came back to his senses, "then do we have any countermeasures now, and what troops are still in Anzloy?" ”

"Originally, we could have drawn Anzeruta's army, but now......" Little Nedwin said halfway through, then looked at Donus in the crowd. The latter's face sank, and he immediately scolded the prime minister half to death in his heart. Of course, he understood that this sentence meant something, in addition to the aborigines, the local legions stationed in Anzeruta were mainly in the hands of Count Guien and Count Orkans, but this part of the army had already been transferred to replenish the fortress of Passilian earlier, and as for the rest of the noble army, not to mention everyone present also understood that they had gone there.

He hurriedly walked out and replied, "Your Majesty." Anzeruta's army had long since been replenished into the Rokozy-Broken Sword Mountain Fortress Group, and the remaining militia and local defense forces were simply unusable, not to mention that even if they were, they were routed by the unruly Count Toniger. ”

"It seems that it is still a very honorable thing in the eyes of Mr. Donus to be played around by an Eruin." Duke Cecil sneered.

The latter's face was white and red. But he didn't dare to fight back, because the supreme man of the empire was obviously not kind at the moment, and he was obviously very dissatisfied with him.

Constance regained the cold look on his face from before: "Then where is my nearest army?" ”

"The two Pegasus cavalry regiments of the White Legion are stationed in the Violet Valley, Your Majesty." The Marquis of Nigel replied immediately.

"Is it too late?"

The former shook his head, "To support Asaph we have to go through the Evergreen Walkway, and unless Greystone can survive at least forty-eight hours, it's unlikely we'll be in time." ”

Constance glanced at his courtiers with a mocking look: "That is, we have to abandon the Anzlova region?" Or if Rokozy - the Broken Sword Mountain Fortress Group is lost, the greatest shame in the history of the Empire, do you mean let me carry it? ”

There was silence in the room.

The Silver Queen looked at these courtiers and smiled coldly: "Donnas, go and inform Duke Parut that the bottom line I give you is to keep Rokozy-Broken Sword Mountain Fortress Group from being lost." If you can't do that, then you're not qualified to manage the land, and at that point, let the White Legion take over the defense of the line from Anzeruta to the Evergreen Walkway. ”

Constance's voice was not high, but it was like a thunderbolt falling on the crowd, and everyone's eyes fell on the queen's long-time favorite in an instant, with surprise, doubt, and curiosity in his eyes, as well as sympathy, cringe, and schadenfreude.

This time the majesty is moving the real fire.

Donnas's body shook, almost fainting directly, he looked at the supreme of the empire in front of him with a pale face, but he didn't dare to have the slightest complaint, and hurriedly bowed down and said, "I understand." ”

Then he parted the crowd in despair and walked out of the study.

In the study. Only trembling Travis remained, but Constance didn't even bother to look at him, and with a flick of his sleeves, he left the room accompanied by the maid.

When Rodney left the White Rose Garden with the other nobles, he deliberately lagged behind and followed Archduke Helix behind. The latter was preparing to board the carriage. Noticing the movements of the new head of the Ashriko family, he turned around and asked, "Lord Earl, do you have any advice?" ”

Rodney smiled bitterly: "Lord Duke, I want to ask what your Excellency thinks of what you said about what your majesty said just now?" ”

Hearing this, the duke's action of boarding the car stopped, he simply withdrew his foot, and looked at the other party with a somewhat solemn face: "What do you think, Lord Earl?" ”

"In recent days, His Majesty has loosened its surveillance of the military on the surface, but secretly it has tightened its crackdown on us. I thought she was going to take the opportunity to support the Parut family, but I didn't expect ......"

Grand Duke Helix shook his head: "Her Majesty's personality has become more and more withdrawn recently, and the Parut family has not been favored by her for some time......"

Rodney seemed to think of something: "Since that incident......"

Grand Duke Helix glanced at him alarmingly: "Shut up, these are not things you and I should discuss, little Rodney, for the sake of the face of me and your father, I remind you, while there is still a chance." Go back to your family's territory. ”

Rodney was slightly stunned: "Lord Duke, you?" ”

The duke nodded: "In less than a week, I will leave the royal capital." Back to the mosaic collar. ”

Rodney looked at him in surprise, leaving the royal capital at this time was tantamount to declaring that he had left the center of imperial power, which was almost unimaginable for a nobleman of their level.

The old duke shook his head: "Little Rodney, that turmoil forty years ago. You were young at that time, but I witnessed with my own eyes, and I don't want to go through what happened at that time again; Well, that's all I have to say. These are all things that we have said to you based on the relationship between our two families for generations, and if you hear it, you will believe it, and if you don't believe it, don't spread it to other people's ears, and as for how to weigh and choose, leave it to you to figure it out for yourself. ”

With that, he waved his hand at the latter and boarded the carriage, leaving Rodney standing there and watching thoughtfully as the carriage slid into the darkness.

But in the end, the latter smiled lightly and shook his head.

……

Betissa quietly crept into the room, then reflexively closed the door, and she turned around again and looked left and right in the dark room, as if looking for something.

It was at this time that a voice came: "Betissa, are you back?" ”

The round-faced mountain maid was visibly startled, and then she recognized that it was the voice of the Earl, and breathed a sigh of relief, and although she hadn't found where Akane was in the house, she nodded hurriedly.

After a while, as if there was a moment of silence, the voice asked again, "What's the matter, is everything out there telling true?" ”

"It's all true, Lord Count, it's been very rumored that the Empire has lost the battle in the south, and that both Anzlova and Rokozy are in danger now," she thought for a moment, as if recalling something, and then replied hesitantly, "but strangely, this time it was neither the lion men nor the wind elves of St. Osor, but the army of Jorgandegon that I had never heard of it. ”

"Jogandigan?" Akane was slightly stunned, and suddenly remembered those cavemen from the fir collar, and she was silent for a while, and the longing for Eruin in her heart became stronger and stronger. With a squeak, she opened the window, and Betissa found that her lord was actually standing by the window, and the other party was holding the jade spear, looking out of the window in a daze, and her eyes reflected the starlight under the night sky in the distance, which made her frown, thinking that it was not good, the Earl was sick again.

After a long while, Akane turned around, and as if she remembered something, she called, "Betisha, Betisha." ”

"Here I am, Lord Count." Betisha hurriedly replied.

"How far is Anzlova from the last time you told him about that Russeph?" The mountain girl asked in a low voice.

Betissa opened her mouth and chuckled in her heart, but she couldn't say the rest of the words.

Akane's bright eyes stared at him, "Lord Lord, is he there?" ”

Of course, Betisha understood who the 'lord' in her mouth was, but she couldn't help but secretly complain at this moment, thinking that she had nothing to do to help the earl to inquire about the news, the real purpose of the other party was here, but as a maid, she didn't dare to lie, so she could only nod honestly. Before she could tap her head a second time, she felt her Lord Count come to her with an arrow, grabbed her by the shoulder, and asked with some urgency: "Where is he, where is the army of Jogandigan now, is he in danger?" ”

Betisha was so frightened that she almost screamed, she hurriedly shook her head with a pale face, how could she be a handmaiden who knew about these things, there was a lot of rumors about these outside, but none of them were reliable, and she could only understand a rough idea at most.

However, she knew that if she said this, she was afraid that her Lord Earl would not be able to sleep well in the past few days, so she had to comfort: "Lord Earl, that ...... The lord of the Tonygel might have left Anzlova long time ago, and if he had sailed from Rune, he would have reached Bankel in a short time, and perhaps he would have been on the sublime sea by this time. ”

As if she had really listened to these words, she relaxed, glanced at her maid, and nodded, "Thank you, Betisha." ”

"This is what I should do, Lord Earl."

Betisha said and prayed in her heart, thinking that Martha's blessing would make the Earl's illness get better soon, and that she wouldn't always be so godly and chattering.

……

(PS: Thank you to a PPT netizen for the character relationship table made for amber, I have received it, it has helped me very, very much - seeing these things, I can really feel everyone's deep love for amber from above, I am really very moved, I feel full of motivation when I receive this relationship sheet, I can continue to write amber until the perfect ending, thank you.) (To be continued......)