The river sparkles in the setting sun, and at this time, the sunset on the river shines through the windows, staining the inn lobby crimson. Through the window lattice, you can see the imperial capital standing in the sky, a majestic and majestic shadow, and the towers and city walls leave a thick oblique shadow in the twilight of the sun.

Setty finished wiping down the last table, straightened up and wiped the sweat with the back of her hand, and looked with some surprise in the direction of the door—the light dimmed for a moment, and in came a couple of cloaked travelers—who were guests. She was slightly surprised that there would be guests at this time of year, since the start of the war in Metz, there were many fewer merchants on the road, and the business of the inn was getting lighter and lighter day by day, and the owners of the inn were planning to close their doors for the time being.

The first to walk in was a foreigner, with long dark brown hair that was rare in the empire, and a slightly handsome face, although it was not immediately attractive, but at least the facial features were upright and handsome, and a pair of brown eyes were full of divine light, and the look inside was full of warmth, as if people felt friendly at first sight.

Behind him, taller was his companion, who looked more handsome, with a hood - though he removed it as soon as he entered the room, revealing his short, slightly curly ear-length hair, and he looked around with a thick cynicism in his eyes.

There were a few girls behind her, and Setty couldn't help but feel very strange, how could she bring so many women on the road at this time, so that she couldn't help but suspect that it was a gang of slave traders. However, she soon realized that she was different, these girls were obviously not simple, and a few of them made her dare not force her to look at them just by looking at them, this kind of aggressive temperament she had only seen in the real big people in the city, how could it be a slave girl.

"What a strange caravan." By this time Seti had noticed the caravan parked outside the inn, which was used only by merchants to travel to and from the Banksr region.

And at this moment, it was naturally Brando's group who walked into this hotel.

Thank goodness for that. The old caravan bought from Eleven Leaves finally arrived safely at its destination before it fell apart - the inn with the words 'Cat and Beard' on the signboard.

Perched on the banks of the Holy Mercury Bridge, no more than ten miles from Rusta, this old, restoratively resplendent building looks unremarkable, though a little too shabby—the signs and doors are badly painted, and the roof is patched in many places, but the windows are clear. On the windowsill on one side of the door there are also pots of ivy, with branches and leaves, which are well cared for by their owners.

The inn seems to be deserted, presumably because of its remote location, and Delphien mentions that it is the farthest inn outside the east gate of Rusta, and only a few cashy merchants will settle down here.

But that's why they chose this place.

Remoteness means safety.

The waitress of the inn turned out to be a mountain man, and Brando couldn't help but be a little surprised to notice the girl's long red hair in the setting sun, but when the group went upstairs, Charles turned around and smiled and said, "It seems that the little girl is suspicious." So, as Ms. Sidney commented, our disguise is not very good. ”

Brando came back to his senses and replied, "This was something I expected. ”

"I thought you'd be upset about this, sir."

"I don't bother with things that don't matter, I just don't want to do useless work."

"What do you mean by 'useless work'?" Charles sighed, "It's been a while since I've heard a 'new word' come out of your mouth, Lord Lord. ”

Brando slapped his mouth in annoyance, "It's just something that doesn't make sense." ”

At this time, Roman, who was walking in front, noticed the conversation between the two, of course, in fact, she had been pricking up her ears to eavesdrop, and as for the previous incident of Brando's sulking in the carriage, she had long been thrown out of the clouds. When she heard this, she couldn't help but deliberately take a step behind, and asked with wide eyes:

But how could it not be meaningful? That queen caught us. Will they hang us on the gallows, I have heard that the nobles treat their prisoners like this. In that case, are we going to disguise ourselves or something? ”

"Because it's useless." Delphien, who was walking aside, replied.

Since she started taking the Fountain of Youth, the scars on her face have faded a lot over the past few days, at least they don't look so hideous and terrifying, and in some places they have even begun to molt, revealing the new, smooth mutton fat skin underneath.

Most importantly. I no longer need to rely on a wheelchair to move, and although it is still a little inconvenient, at least I can move freely like a normal person.

"Useless?"

Brando nodded: "When we were on the road before, did a patrolling knight pass by and not stop to check on us?" ”

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's all about frequency, and we've met too many knights on patrol along the way. As far as I know, on weekdays, such knights only make a routine patrol along the perimeter of the imperial capital in the early morning and evening. This shows that Her Majesty the Queen has strengthened the security on the periphery of the imperial capital, but has not ordered them to conduct an inventory of the floating population entering Rushitta. ”

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Delphien nodded, but glanced at Brando in some surprise, probably not expecting the latter to be so familiar with this place, considering that many of the locals born and raised in Rustat may not know how the vigilance on the periphery of the imperial capital works.

Charles smiled, apparently knowing the answer to this question: "This shows that the hospitable queen is practicing a precautionary method of loosening the outside and tightening the inside, and it seems that she is very confident in her tentacles, and is afraid that we will not enter the city." ”

"So she'll be able to spot us as soon as we get into town?"

Brando nodded, "Now it seems that at least that's what the Silver Queen thinks." ”

Miss Merchant, who analyzed her gains, couldn't help but wrinkle her brows: "In that case, Brando, are we going to go our separate ways?" ”

"Huh?"

"That said, let me take Brünnhilde and the others into the city to attract the attention of Her Majesty the Queen, and you and Miss Mephistopheles will find a way to sneak into the city to save Akane—"

Brando couldn't help but be angry and funny when she heard this, and patted her smooth head: "What are you thinking, things haven't reached the point of being so strict, I don't think the silver queen will be so early." ”

Roman hurriedly covered his forehead and dodged back. While asking, "Why?" ”

"I don't know why," Brando shook his head as well, and replied softly, "but I have a hunch that the Silver Queen is waiting for us to enter the city—"

……

As soon as the sun sinks below the horizon, night truly envelops the city of Rusthät, with its sporadic lights floating in the darkness. On the distant horizon it seemed to be stars falling from the sky, and farther away, a flash of light occasionally streaked across the dark canopy, known only to those who lived in Rustur, and it was actually the ornithopter of the Nazel.

Due to Rustha's proximity to the Nazaire border, both sides had large numbers of troops stationed along the eastern border, and even at night, hordes of Pegasus knights and ornithopters patrolled the dog-toothed airspace.

Faina stood by the window and stared at the river flowing quietly in the moonlight, recalling the last time she came to the imperial capital. However, time has passed, and he has fallen from an identity that is admired by everyone, not to mention maintaining the aura of the past, and even his father and brother are imprisoned in the belly of this formidable 'giant beast' in front of him.

But for some reason, there was peace in her heart at the moment.

Tuk tuk tuk tuk

She slammed the door behind her. After breathing a sigh of relief, he looked at Brando and said, "Lord Lord." ”

"Metisa. What do you think? Brando nodded to her, he had asked the other party to go out to find out the news, and now he should have seen something rewarding.

Sure enough, Medisa replied, "It's okay, it's not too much trouble." I asked, my lord, the engagement ceremony was held in half a month. There will be a feast in the White Rose Garden of St. Cantipati's Palace, and there will be a celebration in the city, which Ruusta had already begun preparing for a week earlier. ”

Brando couldn't help but snort coldly, obviously the Cruz people made him very disdainful of Akane: "It seems that the Silver Queen wants to use this to dilute the panic atmosphere in the imperial capital, but I don't think it will have much effect." She didn't want to think about what she had done before. ”

"It's just a matter of purging dissidents." Delphine replied lightly.

The Prime Minister's daughter couldn't help but glance at her, and she frowned slightly before continuing to report: "Countess of Wallach - I mean Akane, it is said that she has been living in a castle outside the city of Rusta, but I have been to see that place, and it is empty. ”

"Is it fake news, or has it been transferred?" Brando asked.

"I think it was transferred, my lord, I was worried that the Silver Queen had left an eyeliner in the vicinity, so I didn't dare to stay long, but then I inquired elsewhere, and the castle did have a big man living in it before, but it was moved out a few weeks ago."

"It can be seen that the Silver Queen really expected our arrival, otherwise she would not have had to do anything else." Delphine was indifferent to Metisa's gaze and analyzed in a faint voice.

Brando didn't answer, but he didn't disagree in his heart, in fact, he had expected this, and Antitina's analysis was the same before.

"And what about the others?" He asked again.

Medisa turned her head, "Miss Delphien, your father and grandfather are imprisoned in Moss Castle, as are the Legion Commander of the Blue Legion and Grand Duke Mohama. But as far as I know, the upper echelons of the Temple are not imprisoned in that place, and not many people know the whereabouts of the Grand See. Many people don't seem to know what happened to the temple that day, and they don't know that the temple of fire has been split in two at this moment. ”

Hearing this, Sidney, the statue of the Holy Maiden of the Lion Shrine sitting on the edge of the bed, frowned slightly, and Faina showed an eager look: "Medisa, I ......"

"Castle is not a prison," Delphine interrupted, "it's a royal palace, so they're just under house arrest, after all, neither my father nor my grandfather, nor Grand Duke Kabanaba, have come out against the Silver Queen." ”

"What are they going to do?" The merchant lady was counting her expenses in the last few days, and when she heard this, she couldn't help but raise her head and ask strangely.

"Because they didn't say anything at the first time, what the Silver Queen has to do this time is too big, and for the sake of insurance, she will suppress all the unstable factors to a minimum in advance."

"Miss Delphien," Medisa heard her say. The dissatisfaction on his face couldn't help but become more and more obvious: "According to you, I don't see a reason for you to choose the lord, what the silver queen needs is the attitude of the Nedwin family, and you represent the attitude of the Nedwin family, I don't know what your idea is, but if you dare to hurt the lord, you will not be able to-"

Princess Silver Elf pursed her lips. She didn't finish her sentence, but looking at her cold eyes, Delphien also knew what the second half of the sentence would be.

Brando was also slightly stunned, and couldn't help but glance at Medisa in surprise, he knew that Medisa had not really accepted the prime minister's daughter all along, but it was the first time that she had made such a clear statement.

Delphien smiled slightly, she only looked up at Brando with her light purple eyes, but did not answer.

"Miss Delphien......" Brando couldn't help but speak.

"Can't the Earl trust me?"

"But you do have more options, don't you?" Charles finally interjected. He chose to side with Metisa.

Delphien couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Brando sighed, "It's because of the Ivy Change, right?" ”

The prime minister's daughter turned her head around, with a look of 'you really know' on her face, she hesitated for a moment before nodding lightly: "But that's just one of them, my grandfather never supported the first emperor to pass on the throne to the silver queen, so His Majesty will support the Parut family, just to balance the power of the prime minister." They had used this tactic once when the royal family had fought against the Temple, but this time it didn't work as well as the last time. ”

"Ivy changes." To everyone's surprise, Murdelphis, who had been silent at this time, suddenly spoke: "Is that the thing you mean?" ”

All eyes were on him.

“…… I—I just happen to understand. ”

"Mordfeth, you're not the undead of Madara?" Brando realized that he didn't know much about the vampire siblings, he knew about the past of Medisa, Charles, Tiger Sparrow, Flo, and other mercenaries, and even Hipamela occasionally mentioned some of her experiences in the Earth Temple. But Mordface and Andreg have been tight-lipped about their origins.

Before that, he had always thought that before they became card creatures, they were just ordinary dark nobles of Madara, or a little bit of background, but when he heard Mordfes's words, he knew he was wrong.

Mordface is not the undead of Madara. It is likely that he was born in Metz, otherwise it would not have been possible to know what happened back then.

Facing his gaze, Mordface nodded: "Lord Lord, you guessed it right, my sister and I are not dark nobles from Madara, we were Cruz people when we were born, and Metz is our hometown. ”

Brando: "So it wasn't by chance that I summoned you out of the tomb that day?" ”

"I don't know much about the rules of fate cards, but maybe that's how it should be."

"I see," replied Brando, "since you were once from Metz, you must have been witnesses to that event?" ”

"Not exactly an eyewitness, but Sister Andreg and I did go through that dark history, and I only remember my loved ones - family and friends - all killed in that turmoil, even myself, and that history was more brutal than the narrative, and the experience of Sir Rorison you have seen is only the tip of the iceberg of the most subtle."

Mordface smiled indifferently: "I really don't want to remember too much about that period of history, and I don't want to mention it if it weren't for the Lord Lord's chance to talk about this event." ”

"I'm sorry." Brando didn't expect that he had inadvertently uncovered the scar, and couldn't help but apologize.

"It's okay, my lord, time will erase a scar." Mordface smiled: "At that time, it was after the Holy War, and the Temple of Flame was facing a general decline and confusion of faith, and the undead and cultists took advantage of the situation to make waves within the empire, and the Temple of Flame was most infiltrated by the Society of the Oneness of All Things at that time, and even to this day there are still many historical problems. I remember that in the most troubled days, the Eastern Mez and Mehotoven near Argen bore the brunt of the attack, and even several dukes were bewitched—"

"I—I've heard about it," Faina said suddenly, "I've heard my nurse talk about the scene, and it is said that a lot of people died at that time. Countless people were crucified every day, and the nobility was rife with assassinations and intrigues, and it was the darkest days in the region of Metz, where the countryside was a land of witches and heretics, who cramped and skinned people and tortured the priests and believers of the temple with the harshest methods. ”

"It's the same in the city. Every day, witches are brought out and burned at the stake, and similar scenes are played out all the time. Modfes frowned as he recalled the scene.

"I didn't expect such a thing to happen in the empire," Charles was a little surprised, although he had also heard of this turmoil, but he had not experienced it himself, he couldn't imagine that the situation had reached this point: "What about later? ”

Then came the so-called Ivy League, and the chaos in East Mez turned into a real upheaval, in which several famous nobles died. Several of them were comrades-in-arms and close friends who had fought alongside Nedwin," Sidney opened her mouth, and as a party to the Temple, she could be said to be the most aware of what was happening in the audience: "In a fit of rage, the old prime minister was ordered by the Silver Queen to lead his army into East Mez and put down the rebellion in one fell swoop, even capturing two of the twelve patriarchs of the shepherds. ”

"Two?" Brando noted the number.

"Roclery, Lord of the Tainted Blood, and Lenny, the Whip of Withered. However, the latter escaped during the escort. ”

"He said he was running away, but my grandfather always suspected that Her Majesty the Queen had let him go." At this time, Delphien finally spoke: "Her Majesty and my grandfather were at great odds about dealing with these cultists - in fact, according to the laws of the Temple, these cultists should have been in different places long ago, but the last one escaped, and one is still imprisoned in the Thorn Fortress, and most of the cultists and fallen dark lords are only sealed. It wasn't completely ruined, and that Sir Rorison was just one of them. ”

"This is all an order from the Silver Queen herself," she sighed, "and what puzzled my grandfather the most was that the Temple had backed down. ”

"This matter has been a bitter cause between Her Majesty and my grandfather, but not just for personal reasons. But because my grandfather saw that Her Majesty had something else in mind. Although he is not biased towards the Templars, as an old Empire, he does not want to see the royal family truly break with the Templars, thus leading the Empire to the abyss of no return. ”

She took a light breath: "So you understand, now that everything has happened, it is even more impossible for my grandfather to stand with Her Majesty the Queen, which is why Her Majesty the Queen secretly designed me to leave the imperial capital, I should have seen through it a long time ago, but I was blinded by hatred." ”

"I, me too," Faina looked at Brando, gritted her teeth, and said, "I can represent Mehotofen, Brando, I will be on your side, I am the first heir to the Flower Leaf Domain, I can make this promise." ”

"Miss Faina," Medisa reassured, glancing at her, "don't worry, we're not targeting you. ”

"Thank you, Métisa." Her Royal Highness the Princess of the Flower Leaf Collar couldn't help but blush.

Delphien seemed to turn a deaf ear to Metisa's words, she looked back at Brando and asked, "So, my lord, what are we going to do next?" ”

"There's still half a month," Brando replied, "and it looks like there's plenty of time, and we'll try to find out where Akane is under house arrest, because I'll only consider launching it directly on the day of the celebration as a last resort." Until then, we need to find a way to storm the castle, partly to save you and Faina's loved ones, and partly to gain more allies for us. ”

He glanced at Sidney, "It would be great if we could find out where the upper echelons of the temple were being held." ”

"Will they be killed by that queen?" Charles interjected suddenly.

"She won't do that," the statue of the Holy Maiden of the Lion Palace finally spoke, "before I get the Holy Sword Odysphes—"

"Then let's split up and investigate," replied Brando, "and though the Silver Queen is confident that she will find us out, until then, we will have time to play a game of hide and seek with her." ”

He paused slightly.

"I'll surprise her."

…… (To be continued......)