Along the way, as the carriage gradually entered the city, Alexei could already see a few black smoke rising from the four corners of the city through the car window.

The smoke was straight and lingered over the city. Stretch out your hand, there will be no wind, no rain, but it will be dry like a dark cloud.

An artificial haze obscured the sky, and the oppressive, heavy atmosphere seemed to cast a black veil over the soul. It is like the sun that is obscured by the disaster, which cannot be penetrated, and the eyes are full of darkness, and the tears have long been cried dry, as if there is no light of hope except tomorrow.

This is Feldenburg, the city of death.

Sniffing the familiar scent on the tip of his nose, Alexey saw a wheelbarrow, and he would see many more than that.

Next to each car stands a worker throwing a bundle of white cloth onto the body.

It's not a good job.

Even if the weather is not very cold in late spring, the workers who cling to death are fully clothed, with thick gloves and long boots, and cloth hats, hiding themselves tightly so that not a single skin is exposed.

There are yellowish pus and blood streaks oozing out of the white cloth.

The stench of the city.

The raven cries in the branches.

In the distance, there were cries from the buildings on both sides, the doors closed, and several walls apart. When I entered the carriage, it had become very weak, and I could hear it faintly, but I still felt deeply sad.

The once bustling streets are now empty, and the notice of martial law in the whole city is still posted on the bulletin board, and the handwriting has become a little blurred.

On either side of the bulletin board stood against the wall two guards in leather armor.

They smoked cigarettes secretly, and when the carriage passed, they turned their heads around Mars, and turned their backs to the desolate city, and spat out a smoke ring with mixed tastes.

These guards, who were obviously much worse equipped and of much better quality, differed from the soldiers of the port in that they did not belong to the professional regiments of the Empire, but were recorded in the name of the guards, and were annual city militias, under the jurisdiction of the sheriff.

"I saw the smoke, and there was a cry of soul in it. ”

Alexei looked at Gasri and asked, "You're burning the body, are you?"

Gasley put down her fingers that were playing with the ends of her hair, and turned her gaze from the corner of the carriage to the mage, and she habitually pursed her lips and smiled before replying, "Yes, uncle." ”

"Count Longved has set up a burning area outside the city, and the bodies of all citizens who have died of illness are transported and burned to prevent the further spread of the plague. ”

Nodding, Alexei continued to observe the streets on either side of the carriage.

Almost all the residential buildings that can be seen are closed, and the shops along the street are closed.

The inhabitants of the city now rely on the three-day caravans around the city for food, and the price of food was high at the time of the epidemic, and according to Alexei's past memories, I am afraid that when the plague finally subsides, the inhabitants of the lower floors of Feldenburg will not escape the harvest of death, so they will have to find a home between the gallows and starvation.

But there's no way around it.

Do you let the germs spread as they seek food, or do you keep them all at home and die?

The plague-ravaged empire has long learned from several pandemics what it is to choose.

"It's been two months...... It's been two months since the first person died. ”

When it comes to the epidemic, even a young girl as upright as Casli speaks, but her words are inevitably heavy: "This is a new type of epidemic, and it is difficult for the simplest antiseptic to work on it. Fortunately, there are not many ways for the disease to spread, and as long as people do not come into contact with the body fluids of the sick person, they can stay healthy. ”

She sincerely felt sorry for the dead in the city: "If only we could have detected the epidemic earlier." ”

"It's not your fault. Alexei perfunctorily comforted the depressed girl, "No one could have predicted the plague. ”

"Thank you. Gasley took out her handkerchief, wiped her slightly moist eyes, and after a brief expression of gratitude for Alexey's words, whispered, "You don't have to comfort me, I'm not sorry for the dead. ”

"It's just a little bit of a sigh. ”

She stared at her fingers and was stunned, as if she was imagining what her fair skin would look like if the plague had happened to her.

The sentimental girl sighed.

"Though the Count of Longverde is a bold nobleman. But he was only twenty-five days old. ”

"Although the epidemic is under control, the number of deaths is increasing day by day. ”

"When I asked my mother about it the other day, she told me that there weren't many people who died. Gasri shook her head, the expression on her face a little ridiculous as she spoke.

"Your mother is right, compared to the plague of previous years, Feldenberg did not have many deaths. ”

Bear two faces under one hood.

Alexey roughly estimated the harvest on the several corpse collection vans he saw along the way, and if he studied the "not much" in Gasley's mouth, the number of people who died of the disease would definitely not be small.

You must know that the burning pit outside the city has not stopped, and the black smoke of Feldenburg is still curling.

But there are some things that don't have to be said.

"If I could, I would also do my part for the poor inhabitants of Feldenburg, which is why I am here. So, has Mrs. Franklinica figured out how to solve this problem?"

Lady Frankieca, whose full name is Frankieka Helif Cattoli Beast Whisperer. The mother of the elven girl in front of her, Gasli, is currently the spell advisor of the Imperial Royal Mage Order, and the fifth seat of the Onco Mage Council, the master of the spell of the biology department and the life department. He was once awarded the title of "Archmage" for introducing the druid system into magic, and he had several encounters with Alexey.

But to be honest, Alexei didn't have a deep impression of her, only superficially, only knowing her name and some widely circulated deeds.

It was quite surprising to be able to get an unexpected response from Frankika this time.

"Nope. ”

Scarlett shook her head: "Mother didn't tell me much about the plague, please ask Mother face to face for specific matters." ”

"I will. ”

Alexei touched the rattle hanging from the window, and looked up at a roaring brown bear, which was what the owner of the carriage had deliberately concealed from the other mage apprentices and mentors—the great noble family of the northern part of the empire, the coat of arms of Ortarion.

Seeing the brown bear, Alexey remembered something.

"Longved Ortarion, have you heard of him, Blue Dream. ”

"A Frontier Count, I'm not interested in knowing. With the exception of Cessaloni, the governor of Grio da Vito, I am indifferent to the nobility of the Empire. ”

"Unexpected. ”

Alexei let out a chuckle and stood up. The carriage stopped in front of an ornate mansion just a few seconds after he stood up.

"I thought you would have at least a little bit of past dreams, but I didn't expect ......"

"But I didn't expect it. I don't want it at all. ”

Blue Dream made a gesture of please to Alexey: "Please, son of the noble element, please don't try to impose your ambitions on me, okay, I don't need it, thank you." ”

"Then we'll talk about it next time. ”

Because there is also a descendant of a free-tongued archmage beside him, Alexei, who doesn't want to talk too much about Lan Meng's identity, stepped out of the carriage first,

At the entrance of the mansion, the butler who had been waiting here led the way with the maids, and they walked all the way through the corridor of the governor's palace to the empty side hall.

"Please wait, the Earl will be there soon. ”

Longved, Grand Duke of Ortarion, son of the Seven Electors of the Empire, the true ruler of the Northlands. He prepared the specifications of four maids for Alexey, and under the supervision of the butler, they first consulted the mage, took Alexey's robe and washed it, and left three others to clean it for him.

Originally, the overly enthusiastic maids still wanted to serve Blue Dream, but the latter simply rejected them, so before waiting for the Earl's arrival, Alexei fully enjoyed a complete set of guest treatment.

Scrub your boots, dust your pants, spray perfume, and use special utensils to clean up the mage's hair and hairballs on his clothes.

Everything about the aristocracy seems so natural and natural.

The nearly 100-square-meter side hall is lit with faint incense, the magic metal engraved with thermostatic runes and other carvings are perfectly integrated in the hands of professional artists, and there are magic lamps that seem to decorate the walls like stars, which are regularly charged by several hired mage apprentices to ensure that every corner of the room is not a dark place, and after purchasing a valuable insect repellent magic prop, it will not be infested.

"At the dawn of the Empire, House Ortarion had been lords of Feldenburg and Winterfell for one hundred and thirty years. ”

Alexey browsed the paintings hanging on the walls, most of which were well-framed, with busts. Among them were men and women, old and young, handsome and ugly. However, the names shown in the lower left corner of the paintings all bear a common surname.

"Ortarion. ”

"If nothing else, the next Frontier Earl of the Northlands will continue the tradition of being governors until they get more than three votes in the next election......

"I'm not mistaken, Count Longved Ortarion. ”

He suddenly turned around and bowed to the middle-aged nobleman who had not yet crossed the threshold: "I hope you will not be disappointed by my casual shallow knowledge. I am deeply honored to be here to express my sincere gratitude to you, Alexey Adrian, as a civilian, for your generous hospitality. ”

In addition to Frankinica, Alexei has developed a strong interest in the nobleman in front of him since he learned that the Olmea gems were made in Norf.

As the gateway to Norf, the support of Feldenburg and Winterfell would undoubtedly be of the greatest benefit to his plan to capture Norf.

It is difficult for the living to work in the extremely cold northland, but the undead are not.

One day, Alexei will use the power of the dead to put his power above the gods.

And in the north, he is bound to win.