For the nobles of Evta, the ultimate purpose of this dinner was clearly to resolve the conflict between them and Angmar.

In fact, for any duke's domain, there are always internal "contradictions", but as far as the other dukes of the kingdom are concerned, it is difficult for the nobles under their rule to unite to rebel...

It's just that the situation has become a bit peculiar in Ivotah: Angmar has almost lost his sense of self for five years in a row, and Francis is just a mediocre man, barely improving the construction of the territory, but losing even more because of the small actions of restraint, so that most of the lords in the territory gradually lose faith in the Rousifrons.

After Francis's death, Angmar, who had returned to power, forcibly issued a war precaution order, despite the fact that the territory's finances were weak, which was almost the last straw that broke their confidence and put most of the nobles in opposition to the duke.

The reason is simple: the Duke's actions have caused a crisis in the finances of the entire Ivotah, and the troops sent everywhere have also caused most of the nobles to feel in crisis... There was only one option left for them: to unite and force Angmar to stop what they saw as "crossing the line".

"So... You can ignore the enemies on the border and unite to coerce me into compromise?"

Angmar's old face didn't show much expression, he held a black cane, and stood straight in front of the three lords - Mursa, Bogli and Gruul, except for Viscount Juan, these three were the biggest nobles who clearly opposed Angmar, and just now, they finally had a real "confrontation" with Angmar.

"It's not coercion, we just want you to see the situation. ”

"Angmar, you're old, look at the decisions you've made—are you going to watch Evta fall apart?"

"The affairs of the border only need to be solved by the local lords, and those things that happened at the beginning of the year were not solved by us?"

When these words were said at a banquet, it was basically equivalent to directly slapping Angmar... Perhaps to outsiders they were right: something happened at the border, and the nobles went to the border to support at the Duke's summons, and then the problem was solved, and everyone was happy.

But in reality, the only ones who really solved the problem and faced the enemy were Angmar and Roddy's troops!

And this group of noble lords from beginning to end, just took their group of peasant soldiers for a show, did nothing, but had to boast to the outside world that the credit was their own.

In the face of all kinds of "persuasion" from these lords, Duke Angmar originally wanted to say something, but after a week of glancing, he smiled helplessly... He knew that his decision would be met with great resistance, but he never imagined that such a storm would brew now.

In fact, the facts have always been in front of these people's eyes: the large army of orcs and wolf cavalry has repeatedly attacked, and none of the undead Magda, Ansardine and Belom are good stubble, and if it weren't for Roddy, it is estimated that half of these nobles in front of them would have suffered unimaginable losses.

But Rodi did too much "in place" - because he solved the enemy again and again, and blocked the crisis again and again, so that these nobles did not realize what kind of enemy they were facing at all, and only thought that everything was a small fight.

And because of this... Roddy's efforts were not rewarded with the respect of the nobles, but by their selective neglect and ingratitude...

Angmar sighed inwardly, he overestimated the consciousness of these nobles and underestimated their selfishness.

Looking at the five only lords who were willing to stand firmly on their side, the old man who had experienced the prosperity and development of the Karen Kingdom felt a little sad in his heart: the belief of those nobles when the kingdom was unified had almost disappeared after just over seventy years... What was once glory, devotion and sacrifice is now almost nothing but selfishness.

"Angmar, take a step back, we're all easy to talk to, and it's not good for anyone to be in such a stalemate. ”

If you really have the slightest sense of crisis, where are you still gossiping here without pain?

Faced with the collective reproach of these lords, Angmar sighed, and then slowly spoke: "I think you have already made a choice to make today's decision - you choose to believe Juan's promise, but you don't want to think carefully about why I did it, right?"

Angmar didn't lose his temper, but still asked lightly.

"It's a choice that each of us will make, and it has nothing to do with Juan. Angmar, you wouldn't have made such a hairy kid decision when you were younger. ”

Several lords obviously didn't want to admit the fact that Viscount Juan had united with them, but Angmar didn't mean to investigate, just nodded expressionlessly, and continued to ask: "I want to know, to my banquet, you still have to bring so many private soldiers, are you prepared for the worst?"

At this point, several lords had already sensed something something not quite right - the current situation was very clear, Angmar was alone, and there were only five lords in the territory who had no power willing to support him, and if any conflict really broke out, Angmar would be alone and have no chance of winning.

But the old man in front of him really doesn't look like he's in a weak position...

At this time, the venue had been quiet, only the band was still playing the tune hard, there were few people on the dance floor, and although the lords who were chatting quietly around were trying to hide the fact that they were pricking up their ears to eavesdrop, the eyes that drifted over from time to time still betrayed the nervousness and apprehension in their hearts.

The moment of the showdown has arrived.

The seemingly casual conversation fell silent by Angmar's rhetorical question, and the three lords did not answer, while Angmar closed her eyes as if waiting for something...

Soon, heavy footsteps could be heard outside the quiet venue.

The nobles at the scene turned their eyes, and there was an instant uproar - two knights with a height of nearly two meters were walking into the venue in the back garden... Behind them, there were church members in black robes.

"Bang... Syllable... Bang..."

At first, there was a loud and noisy discussion at the banquet scene, and when the two knights approached, the sound seemed to be suppressed, and the surroundings gradually became quiet, and even the band stopped playing.

The oppressive feeling brought by the touch of metal armor was multiplied by those gorgeous aristocratic clothes, and the iconic figures of Titus and the Wellington knights made their identities recognized for the first time, and this scene also made the nobles who had already relaxed in their hearts suddenly nervous.

The Duke of Angmar's two remaining armies suddenly burst into the hall in full gear, and people seemed to have smelled some blood...

"Angmar, what are you trying to do?!"

The expressions of several lords were obviously not as relaxed as before, and they stared at the immobile old duke in front of them, and before they knew it, they had lost their previous aggressive momentum.

"Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who does things without evidence, you should know this very well. ”

The duke slowly opened his eyes, although he was old and weak, but the sharp energy in his eyes was like substance, and his words obviously meant something, making the faces of the three lords look like a face...

Young people may not know, but they know that the former Angmar is by no means the same as she is now. Fourteen years ago, when the nobles in the southwestern part of the realm rebelled en masse, what did Angmar do?

All they can recall seems to be the word "bloody".

It is because of the fear that always remains in their hearts that they will now choose to "force each other with force" instead of "adding swords to each other".

The Duke's declining power and his old appearance had made too many people forget his former edge—but at this time, it was just a simple sentence, and the chill in it made the corners of the eyes of several lords twitch a little...

Wellington and Titus did not wear heavy plate armor or weapons around their waists, but they casually carried a box to the center of the room, and after saluting in silence, they placed the wooden square box on the dining table beside it...

"I know you've been wondering about Wellington and Titus lately, so now I can briefly say what they've been doing these days. ”

Angmar didn't look at the box, but stared at the three lords in front of him who didn't look good, and continued: "The attack on the border at the beginning of the year involved not only orcs, but also undead, and I've been tracking down traitors in the territory who have colluded with the undead these days - what happened in Kiger Town you should know, Captain Roddy helped me solve a lot of scum that should be cleaned up, but obviously... This is not enough. ”

It sounds like these topics have nothing to do with the nobles in front of them, but when the name "Roddy" is mentioned, many people still squint their eyes slightly, and Quentin and the others, who were already approaching, held their breath slightly.

"It doesn't matter what you do in your own territory, I won't interfere, because you are always a nobleman under my rule. But if you collude with the undead or orcs, or become a lackey of the infidels... Secretly plotting a rebellion, that can only be my enemy. ”

Several of the lords frowned—all of them thought of a not-so-optimistic possibility...

"If you and I only have a matter of interest, then we can sit down at the negotiating table and have a good discussion, as we do now. There will be disagreements, but they can all be put on the table to be resolved. Angmar tapped her cane and stepped over to the table, reaching for the handle of the box, "But if you become my enemy, I'm afraid... I don't have much more to say. ”

He casually pulled the wooden box open, and the smell of blood suddenly dispersed...

In an instant, the whole venue seemed to be covered with a lid, at first there was a silence that was so suppressed that it seemed as if it could even hold its breath - then there was a neat gasp, and then... It's the uncontrollable screams of the ladies and girls!

Inside the wooden box was the bloody head of Viscount Juan.

Angmar turned around expressionlessly, looked at the nobles with different faces in front of him, and said calmly: "Traitor, die." ”