“…… That's it on the whole, the situation on the front is poor, the collapse of the Tulucas line of defense has a decisive impact on the winter campaign, now we have no hope of victory, and it is even more impossible to end the war before the depths of winter. However, His Majesty the Emperor did not realize his mistake, and he was still training more troops, and the conscription of serfs and freedmen in many places had begun to endanger the local order of production. If it continues like this, there will definitely be problems next year. Lord Luna, you are both the wife of Joe McFalie and the apprentice of Lord Luke, the archmage. I don't know if there is a possibility that you can relay our thoughts to the Archmage for us, so that His Excellency can hear the voice of the military. ”

The news that Janice Chung, the wife of the commander of the Western Theater of Operations, told Luna is definitely in the category of excitement. Luna had no doubt that this was definitely first-hand information from the front, top-secret information that only a few high-ranking people knew about. If the news of the defeat at the front spread, all of them, whether it was the military or the emperor, would not be able to eat and walk around.

"I can try, but ...... As you may have heard, His Excellency Mentor has not been too concerned about state affairs lately, otherwise he would not have agreed with His Majesty the Emperor to start this war. Are you sure this is what the military meant? ”

Luna may be young, but she still has some basic political sensibilities. Anken Rein's army has complex factions within the army, and before the Fire Festival, the mainstream was the Grand Magister faction, and many generals had some relationship with the Grand Magus Luke Brewster, and even worse, it had some relationship with the Mage Tower. After the Fire Festival, His Majesty the Emperor began to quietly clean up the forces in the mage tower in the military, although the actions were hidden, but there were also clues to be found. It is not clear to Luna who the interests of the military are represented by the military by Lady Janice Chung.

"Haha, you see, I was careless", Janice Chung chuckled twice, and instantly understood what Luna meant, "My Mr. Paul Chung and the fourth apprentice of Lord Luke, Amaya Lamata, are cousins, and thanks to Lord Lamata's caution, most people don't know about this relationship. We had a feeling before that His Majesty the Emperor didn't seem to like the generals who were close to the Mage Tower, but if we think about it, we can also understand His Majesty's worries. However, in this Neglo War, the Western Theater invested almost all of its wealth, and judging from the results, we are likely to be defeated. If His Majesty the Emperor had used this as a reason to carry out a purge of the Western Theater, we might not even be able to save our lives. Sister Luna, I dare to call you sister, and since you ask so, I won't hide it from you. Paul Chung has given too much to get this position, he doesn't want to be so restrained, and the Mage Tower is almost his only hope. ”

Hearing Janice say this, Luna suddenly has a terrible thought. The news of Luke Brewster's death, she knew, His Majesty the Emperor vaguely felt, but Janice Chung in front of her, and Paul Chung, the commander-in-chief of the Western Theater behind her, didn't know. If, only if, His Majesty the Emperor hastily launched the Negru War, the purpose was not to expand the territory on the surface, but to completely purge the military power of the Mage Tower in private? Using the national fortunes of the entire country as a chess game, just to purge the influence of the Mage Tower and ensure their absolute rule?

"I see, Sister Janice," Luna nodded. Speaking of which, the other party was open and honest, and asked for the Mage Tower. As the representative of the Mage Tower, she felt obligated to discuss it with Teacher Brooklyn. Moreover, about the terrible conjecture in her heart, she also needs to ask Teacher Brooklyn for verification.

"I will communicate with His Excellency Mentor about this matter, and if there is any news, I will visit again."

Feeling that the conversation was almost over, Luna turned to leave. Janice lifted her into the carriage and watched her leave, before turning back to the reception room. Commander-in-Chief of the Western Theater of Operations, Paul Zhongzheng, dressed in military uniform, sat on the main seat in the meeting room.

"Did you hear it all?" Janice seemed to know that Paul Chung was there, and she sat down next to Paul, picked up a cookie on the table, and gently put it in her mouth.

"Hmm," Paul Zhong nodded, "It seems that something is indeed wrong with the Mage Tower, according to the style of Lord Luke Brewster, and the style of this Luna before, the people who dare to move the Mage Tower, they will definitely not be so reckless." Rumors that Luke Brewster is missing, most likely true. ”

"So what do we do? Do you want to get closer to the Mage Tower? ”

"Of course," Paul Chung said, holding his teacup and sipping it down, "my target has not been the great magister from the beginning, but those who are still alive and attached to the mage's tower. ”

————————————

"It's certainly impossible!"

Brooklyn stood up and walked around her room, Luna sitting in front of her, her face visibly worried.

"But I checked, and Paul Chung is indeed Teacher Ramata's cousin, and it's true. And the available information suggests that he is most likely one of our people. ”

"It's not our people, it's Luke Brewster's people. You, I, Paul Chung, and the business owners who have come to support us these days, we're all Luke Brewsters, and without him, no one would have been able to bring this huge team, let alone provide shelter for these people. ”

Brooklyn was a little disheartened after Luke Brewster's death. She was powerless to protect herself, and she was powerless to protect the Mage Tower, she could only watch the place she loved be destroyed little by little, and the despair and sadness in her heart had made her want to jump off the Mage Tower countless times.

"But if the Emperor is going to purge the Western Military District—" Luna was still worried about that terrible guess in her heart, looking at Brooklyn, waiting for her to save herself.

"It can't be, he's the Emperor, and he knows there's something wrong with Lord Luke. Now that the entire Anken Rein has been regarded by him as his own country, how can one person use such a big price to purge a few generals who have lost their backers? The vast majority of people in this world are people who know the times, and once Paul Kind knows that His Excellency Luke has died, he can immediately move closer to His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor will definitely not use this method of injuring 100 enemies and injuring 1,000 to himself to purge the army. ”

"That'...... Is it true that we didn't fight this battle? ”

"I don't know about war, and I don't know the answer", Brooklyn shook her head, "This matter is not what we should be concerned about, what we should care about, it is this job you take, how do we reply?" Have you ever thought that the other party may be tempting the truth of Lord Luke's situation? If we give a tough answer, we won't be able to get a Magus to stand up for them. If we give an answer that is weak and not in the style of the Mage Tower. This request, maybe you started and shouldn't have followed. ”

Although Brooklyn's tone was tactful, it was also Luna who was on duty, and Luna's eyes turned red all of a sudden. Seeing this, Brooklyn comforted her a few words before continuing in a gentler tone.

"But it's not a bad thing for you to take on this job, these capitalists have been looking for me recently because of the tax increase, and I hope that Lord Luke will stand up for them. I've been dragging it out for so long, and they may have some doubts as well. Now it just so happens that the military also needs this, which gives me a new way of thinking. ”

"Really, what's that?"

Luna rubbed her eyes and looked up, looking at Brooklyn curiously. Just now, just as Brooklyn was talking about a new idea, Luna clearly felt that her once powerful teacher had returned in that instant.

————————————

The commander-in-chief of the Western Theater of Operations, Paul Chung, got out of Luna's carriage and stood in the square of the Mage Tower, taking a deep breath, wrapped in a black hooded trench coat, he couldn't see his identity from the outside. Luna gets out of the car behind him, a thick fur cape draped over her shoulders. The members of the Mage Tower Guard, who had already been waiting in the square, bowed their heads and led the two into a conference room in the annex building of the Mage Tower.

"Welcome over, General Paul."

Arquette Brooklyn, the director of the Mage Tower, stood up as Paul entered, and after Paul took off his trench coat and hooked it on the wall, she introduced him to the third person who had attended the meeting.

"This is the steward of the mage tower pyroxene vein, Miguel Martínez. Mr. Martinez, this is the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Theater of Operations, General Paul Chung. ”

The tall and thin Miguel Martinez shook hands with the relatively short, but muscular Paul Chung. The two of them were a little confused about the meeting arranged by Brooklyn, and after a few simple greetings, they waited for Brooklyn to start.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there are only four people in this meeting today, and I am Arquette Brooklyn, the first apprentice of Archmage Luke, Luna Brewster. I invite you to come here today because there is something I think would be better to tell you. ”

Brooklyn's voice was calm, but Luna's heart was beating fast like a steam engine. She clutched the pen in her hand tightly and waited for that moment.

"Archmage Luke Brewster, for some reason, won't be in Ankenrein for a long time. The same problem will arise with the five archmages of other countries. That's the real reason why we've been fighting with Negru until now, and the Six Towers Council has never interfered. ”

Hearing this, Paul Chong gently lowered the water glass and looked at the table. Martinez coughed lightly and said nothing.

"Both of you are here today and are more or less affected by this. Now Lord Luke is no longer able to restrain Paul Gibson, who is not only waging foreign wars, but also purging the Mage Tower's influence in the country. Mr. Martinez, the property you and your companions own is the lifeblood of this country, and Gibson will not let it out of his control. General Paul, the battle situation in the Western Theater has been fought so far, although it is not intentional, but Gibson took the opportunity to replace some generals and reorganize the army, which must be reasonable and compliant. I've also heard that he sent the Sixth Prince to the front with the royal elite, and for what purpose, you should guess as well. The purpose of inviting two of you here today is actually very simple. When the tree falls, we vines that rely on the tree can't just fall with it, can we? ”

Neither Paul Chung nor Miguel Martinez spoke. Luna was so nervous that she couldn't even breathe carefully, the barrel of the pen she clutched in her hand was wet and slippery with sweat. According to her previous deduction with Brooklyn, the forces represented by these two people will have no choice but to unite and make a fuss, but when it comes to the implementation of the plan, she is extremely uneasy.

Do they really have no other choice?

"That...... Lord Brooklyn", Martinez's voice was a little hoarse, "the latest news, His Majesty the Emperor does not intend to raise taxes on big business owners and capitalists. The upcoming war tax is mainly aimed at the middle and lower classes, and has little to do with us. ”

"Mr. Martinez, taxes don't matter whatever, what matters is, do you think His Majesty Gibson will let you continue to manage the pyroxene veins? Now that Lord Luke is gone, the Mage Tower can no longer have as many assets. Don't you, as the manager, have a little idea of who those assets belong to? ”

Hearing such a direct temptation, Martinez fell silent again. Paul Chung tapped his fingers on the table and asked his own question.

"Without a Magister, the Mage Tower would have no purpose of existence, why should I help you?"

"Not for us, but for yourselves. The Mage Tower has always been your protector, and now that the protector is gone, if we don't unite, the fate must be clear to everyone. I invite you to come here, not to order you to do anything, nor to advise you to do anything. I'm just telling you one thing—"

Brooklyn lifted her face with a sad expression.

"—From now on, there will never be a Magus who will shelter us from the wind and rain."