In the cold autumn rain, on the deserted Roman road, three down-to-earth riders are galloping on horseback.

Princess Theophanus squinted at the road ahead, keeping her head down as much as she could, curling up in the saddle as far as she could, not letting the icy rain run down her neck, but she couldn't help but shiver.

Autumn on the island was indeed cold, and even colder when it rained, and although Theophanus had worn two burqas over his petticoat and a thick cloak to keep warm, it still felt cold. The horses under her sat shaking, their hooves splashing mud on the muddy road—to be honest, she was not very good at horsemanship, much less a fidgety mare, and not the one she was used to riding.

Theophanus couldn't help but sigh at the thought of the beloved horse that had been left in the stable—it might have been reduced to the spoils of the barbarians by now!

A strong cold wind blew in her face, and her soaked clothes took more heat away from her, which made Theophanus shiver with nostalgia for the bright sunshine on the shores of the Aegean Sea and the warm beaches outside Athens dotted with olive groves and ancient temples.

Compared to the Greek city of Athens, where I lived as a child, this remote island is always shrouded in cold rain and fog, which is really not good.

- Although there she was the daughter of a small noble family, here she was the noble princess of the Roman emperor.

Back then, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus? Augustus, coerced by a futuristic traveler to escape from house arrest in Campania, Italy. When he went into exile in the Eastern Roman Empire, although his initial situation was not very good, he was elected emperor by the Senate. There is still a little bit of gold content. Coupled with the huge "iron ship" he brought with him, a gift left behind by the future traveler before leaving, it also caused Emperor Romulus to be covered with a layer of mystery as a "god-bless king".

So, while Romulus was running around the Eastern Roman Empire to sell his restoration, there were some who wanted to take the plunge, even though the top nobles often scoffed at it as wishful thinking. Therefore, it is either to pay for funding, or to send someone to join, which is considered a long-term investment. Even the Eastern Roman Emperor at the time. Although he refused to recognize Romulus's throne, he did provide him with some convenience and support - at the same time as the Western Roman Empire collapsed, the Eastern Roman Empire also suffered from barbarian invasions, and it was always good to have someone else to bear some of the pressure.

Not to mention. In the early Eastern Roman Empire. No matter what the emperor had in his heart, "restoring the lost territory in the West and recovering the old capital of Rome" was a matter of "political correctness", just like the "Northern Expedition to the Central Plains" during the Southern Song Dynasty and the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China.

Emperor Romulus's current empress Boudicca, the youngest daughter of a local nobleman of the Eastern Roman Empire - although the Western Roman Emperor is very depressed at the moment, if he really succeeds in recovering the country in the future, then the benefits of having an emperor's son-in-law will be inexhaustible!

During his stay in the Eastern Roman Empire, Romulus made friends with powerful people and recruited heroes in this way. While seeking sponsorship and strengthening its strength. zuihou。 The hesitant emperor boarded the ship heading west, leaving Empress Boudicka and her children at a seaside villa outside Athens.

In this way, Theophanus and her brother spent their childhood in Athens at leisure, until a messenger arrived from the distant province of Britain with the "glad news" that Emperor Romulus had successfully restored the province of Britain and was about to send someone to welcome his family.

In the eyes of the Romans, the Great Wall built by Emperor Hadrian in Britain was almost the end of Shijie. Outside the Great Wall was a barren land that the Romans regarded as barren. To the south of the Great Wall, the province of Britain was one of the most remote, inhospitable, and backward of all the provinces of the Roman Empire, and in the eyes of the Roman Empire's magnates, only exiled criminals liked to go there.

So, with the frustration of being exiled and the joy of becoming royalty, the family sailed across the ocean to Britain to join the Emperor Romulus with gifts from many powerful people of the Eastern Roman Empire. After arriving in Gloucester, the living conditions in Britain were as bad as they imagined: a dilapidated city with no aesthetic appeal, a so-called "palace" converted from a military barracks, and a boring and monotonous life...... The damp and cold climate of the island of Great Britain made the siblings, who were accustomed to the bright Mediterranean sunshine, feel uncomfortable; And the extreme scarcity of all kinds of daily necessities made these "extravagant" children of the Eastern Roman Empire feel desperate - even the royal family could not wear silk clothes, even linen was very scarce, and they could only wrap in messy animal skins to keep out the cold; There are no spices for eating, and even table salt is lacking......

Overall, compared to the relative comfort of life in the Eastern Roman Empire, the days after arriving in the British province were too difficult.

Of course, if it was just that the living conditions were more difficult, then Her Royal Highness felt that she was not unbearable. But the worse problem is that there was not an inch of peace in Europe during the Dark Ages, and the city of Gloucester, where the Western Roman Emperor was stationed, was a key target for the Anglo-Saxon barbarians, with several invasions almost every year, and there was no end to looting, fighting, and raiding, and there was no security and order beyond the walls.

In such a turbulent environment, even a noble woman like Princess Theophanu had to work hard to train her martial arts in order to protect herself. As for the poetry, music, and painting she had studied in Greece, there was no use at all in the savage and violent province of Britain.

Although his father, elder brother, and the Roman warriors who were determined to restore the country had been fighting bloody battles against the barbarians. But after a few years, the land covered by the Roman eagle banner did not expand in the slightest. The barbarian invasions are endless, and frequent natural disasters and famines continue to weaken the strength of the "civilization camp...... In a situation where even survival is difficult, there is really no way to talk about the taste of life.

- Although from time to time she remembered the lavish banquets she had attended in Constantinople. Theatre, music and dance ......

As a result, Princess Theofhanus had no choice but to make up her mind and prepare to live her whole life in this wild land. Who knew that a metal castle suddenly fell from the sky. There were also many strange things and even stranger people in it, which gave her many indescribable new things.

Father said that these people are time travelers from a thousand years later, with all kinds of incredible powers, but they are not terrible, but they know the rules of civilized people better. And Gloucester City did get a lot of benefits from these time travelers through his father's good offices - new and productive crops, delicious and sweet pastries, and durable metal knives and axes. There are also gorgeous and dazzling fabrics and small jewelry......

After learning of her honorable status as a princess of the Roman Empire, several young people among the time travelers even began to pay tribute to themselves. Musical instruments were played under the window of her house, music was played to her in wonderful little boxes, and wonderful gifts were given such as silver mirrors and delicate handkerchiefs. She was also invited to visit Camelot Castle. Enjoy the ...... of hospitality

Although she knew from her father that these "future people" would eventually return to their rightful shijie, so she never accepted their kindness, but this did not prevent her from taking the opportunity to get some benefits for herself - I have to say that the castle after a thousand years is really beautiful and comfortable. If the future group can leave the castle behind when they return to their time, she must persuade her father to move in with the whole family......

But just as she felt life in this wild and exotic land of Britain. When it was finally a little fun, a devastating catastrophe struck - first the Anglobarian invasion in the northeast. across the entire province of Britain to Gloucester City; Immediately afterwards, before they could ask for help from the Celtic countries, the main force of the city defense army led by their father was defeated; Then, as soon as the messenger for help was dispatched, a large number of barbarian cavalry were killed under the city, but she and her mother were not in the city at that time, but ran to the farm outside the city, and ordered the slaves and laborers to carry the grain harvested this autumn into the city to prevent losses in the war, and did not bring a few guards with them...... As a result, they were immediately dispersed by the enemy soldiers......

In the midst of the chaos, Princess Theophanus rushed left and right with a few guards, and finally got rid of the pursuers, but when she looked back, she found that several city gates had been surrounded by enemy soldiers, and her mother did not know her whereabouts...... Seeing that Gloucester City was afraid that it would not be able to rush in, she had no choice but to turn her horse's head and gallop towards the Carmellot Castle to the south, which was already the closest friendly shili to Gloucester City.

On the way to escape, the group was hit by torrential rain and scattered in lightning and thunder. At this time, there were only two guards left by the princess's side.

“…… How far are we from Camelot? Tasinus? Wiping the rain from her forehead, Princess Theophanus turned to one of the remaining guards beside her, Tasinus, and asked, "...... This part of the road feels unfamiliar to me...... You shouldn't be wrong! ”

Speaking of zuihou, she muttered a little weakly as she looked at the surrounding landscape, and her voice became much quieter.

“…… His Highness ...... "Tasinus stopped the horse with him, and just opened his mouth to say something to the princess, but the horse under his crotch suddenly neighed and stood up, and lifted its owner off the horse......

Immediately, before Princess Theophanus could figure out what was happening, she was horrified to see a feathered arrow stuck in Tasinus's throat!

Then, just a few dozen paces away, behind the wet grass and bushes, appeared a dozen stout men dressed in wolf's, deerskin, or bear skins, spears or battle axes in their hands, and a few archers, still unconcerned in the cold rain of late autumn. Though washed by the rain, the princess could still see the crimson totemic stripes they had once painted on them - they were Anglos!

“…… Run, Your Highness! Another guard shouted at Princess Theofhanus with a sword, and another arrow pierced his chest, and the sword that had just been unsheathed fell. Princess Theophanus held back her grief and kicked the horse's belly, letting her crotch horse walk quickly along the road.

Suddenly, the cold wind mixed with the rain suddenly hit her face, and she had to lower her head. Look at the horse's hooves and stomping into the mud. Behind him, a loud shout mixed with a dying wail faintly came, making people feel a burst of horror......

He hesitated for a moment on horseback. Out of a sense of duty, she cursed rudely, and then reined in her horse's head and looked behind her. In the sudden consternation, he had already run more than two hundred steps away, just in time to see the frightened Zuihou guard was pierced through the abdomen with a spear, and after screaming, he was no longer silent...... And the three Anglo cavalrymen wrapped in animal skins are still reluctantly catching up!

In an effort to escape the barbarians. Princess Theophanus, despite her own equestrian rustiness, drove her horse to speed up again and again...... Just then, an arrow flew almost past the base of her ear. The sudden shock caused her to lose her balance, and she stumbled off her horse, and then fell heavily into the mud - she felt her back hit the rocks, and her left leg and waist ached. It was as if the bones were about to break.

The pain was so intense that she almost fainted. But the sound of the approaching horses' hooves told her that if she passed out, everything was over...... So, even though the rain was still pounding on her face and the pain was still coming from her wounds, Princess Theophanus struggled to her feet, drew a sharp dagger from her waist, gritted her teeth, and fought to the death with the three barbarian cavalrymen who had jumped off their horses and were ready to take them alive.

- Countless witnesses on the battlefield have made her very clear. What happened to me after I was caught by the barbarians was probably worse than death.

It's a pity. Compared to the three Anglo warriors who fought the beasts for many years, her weak female was too weak to resist - her dagger was knocked away with a baton by the enemy with a single glance. The next moment, accompanied by the triumphant cries of the barbarian warriors and her desperate screams, a sharp short knife was pressed against the princess's throat, and then a rope was tied to her arm......

Suddenly, there was a strange noise from behind the barbarians, and one of them whispered something, and the soldier who was tying her up struck her on the back of the head with a wave of his hand, and Princess Theophanus's eyes went black and she lost consciousness.

Then the Anglo soldiers turned their heads and looked in the direction of the strange sounds...... Then they were stunned together.

On the other hand, not far from Gloucester City, Wang Qiu and the others finally encountered the first battle after coming to this time and space, and easily won - when they drove the off-road vehicle all the way over, they saw three barbarian soldiers wrapped in animal skins standing in the middle of the avenue in a daze, their mouths wide open, as if they were frightened by this "steel monster" beyond their thinking ability.

And at their feet, there was also a black-haired woman who was tied up with flowers, who seemed to be a Roman who had escaped from the city of Gloucester.

So, in order to catch the interrogation, Wang Qiu put away the pistol, and the former Prime Minister Kotori Yu Zhenbai very calmly poked his head out of the car window, took off the blindfold on the "Evil King's True Eye", and performed a "group human control technique" on them...... Then everything was solved.

Next, Arthur found that the embarrassed girl on the ground, covered in mud and blood, was actually an acquaintance he knew......

――――――――――――――――――

It seemed to hear someone talking, but Princess Theofhanu didn't want to open her eyes.

In her slumber, she dreamed again of the familiar beach, the warm waters caressing her feet, the delicate sand flowing between her toes with the waves—the Athens of Greece, the place where she was born, the place that had given her a peaceful childhood.

Someone else said something, this time closer. Immediately afterwards, Princess Theophanus realized that they were not speaking any language she knew, and that she did not smell the stench of the Anglobarians at the tip of her nose...... She barely opened her eyes, and then she felt a splitting headache. With a slight moan, the princess found herself sleeping on a soft bench that had been housed in a slightly cramped carriage...... The unfamiliar environment made her feel a little nervous and wanted to find something familiar to calm her mind.

Then, she found it without a hitch.

- In front of her sat a handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a crown and a long sword in his hand. The princess could not help but be taken aback by the exquisite workmanship—the well-forged blade was slightly curved on both sides to form an elegant willow leaf shape, the steel surface was smoother and more translucent than a mirror, and the gold and silver patterns carved into the sword upgraded it from a weapon to a work of art.

“…… Arthur! Is that you? Arthur, the successor of the Red Dragon Kingdom! Immediately after a moment, the princess cried out for joy in Latin, "...... Are you here to rescue us? Please hurry up! My father was besieged at Barton Hill and the city of Gloucester was in danger now! ”

“…… Rest assured, beautiful princess! Your city will be fine. Arthur smiled slightly, and inserted the delicate sword in his hand into the more gorgeous and luxurious blue carved scabbard, "...... We're not far from Gloucester City, and we're gathering our troops for an attack! ”

So, through the open door of the buggy, the princess was surprised to see many people dressed in grass green strange clothes, rumbling "metal monsters", and even "metal birds" flying overhead...... (To be continued......)