The princes and nobles of all the countries have all arrived in the royal capital, and tomorrow they will go to the hunting grounds to start hunting, and a party will be held in the palace this evening.

Geffenhardt XVII was of a pure character, and did not have any arrogant and extravagant vices, but after all, he was just a fun-loving young man. Holding such a lively party seemed to be his interest, not to mention that it was about the face of the country, so the scene was as luxurious as possible. The best wine and the finest food were delivered like a stream, and the aristocratic women were eager to exchange all their possessions for their clothes, and countless jewels glittered in the lamplight.

But even the most dazzling jewels could not compare to the charm of the Marquis. Even though he is no longer a young and enthusiastic teenager, he is still the favorite of all women.

The real charm will never be lost because of old age, and the young handsomeness is just a natural insignificant little ornament, attracting little girls who don't know how to appreciate men at the beginning of love. What's more, the marquis does not look old at all, when the edge is exposed and introverted into a mature bearing, the merry will be swayed freely because of the wind and frost, and the man at this time is the most attractive. Coupled with his already handsome appearance, demeanor and demeanor, and his great fame can attract women more than the most expensive perfume.

As soon as the Marquis and Asa who had come with him appeared at the meeting, they were immediately surrounded by a tidal wave of women. The innermost layer makes no secret of his interest in men, laughing with the marquis without fear, and there are many flattering glances at Asa, and the middle layer is the girls who want to be a little reserved, but still can't resist the mature charm, and then the outermost people just want to witness the most amorous man in the whole continent.

The Marquis dealt with the ladies around him with ease, and dealt with them with great grace and skill for a while before he got rid of the group of supporters, and then took Asa and the others with him to the circle of princes and ministers.

If Duke Mrak's communication with people is just a finely crafted handicraft, round and clear without flaws, a comparison with the marquis immediately reveals the plainness and craftsmanship that comes with it because it is too practical. The Marquis's communication with people is a work of art, there is no practicality, because he disdains practicality, he is not afraid of offending people, he always seems to be aggressive in eye-catching places, and he is never stingy to show his dissatisfaction with anyone, but this is the charm of his uninhibited personality. As long as he talks to someone, he can immediately attract people, and the other person's emotions are pulled to ** at will along with his words, gestures, and expressions. When he feels the need, he can use a few witticisms to the point to unceremoniously beat other people's emotions to the point and can't fight back, so that no one has a chance to entangle. He was at home among the most distinguished of guests.

Although Asa still didn't like such occasions very much, he was able to notice his words and deeds, and there was no more similar action of picking up food to eat, but he was never able to appear as happy and lively as the people around him. Legend has it that after the battle between the 5,000 rebels and the Ofot, his near-resurrection diplomacy made him famous, which added a layer of extraordinary brilliance to his calm and indifferent attitude. Just like the statue on the altar, even if you have a wooden face, you will have a striking momentum.

With the help of the Marquis, Asa soon became the most inscrutable and important guest in the eyes of these dignitaries, and many of them thanked him for turning the tide and bringing about peace talks without the danger of the merchants of their own country, and they were all interested in the details of this exploit and asked about it. But at this time, Asa refused, saying that he had something important to do immediately, so at their strong invitation, Asa promised to come together tomorrow to participate in the hunt.

After the preparations here were completed, the two of them went together to meet His Majesty the Emperor. Participation in the hunt was subject to the permission of His Majesty the Emperor, as it was customary for the clergy not to take part in such entertainment.

Geffenhardt XVII only began to deal with the guests of various countries, and then turned around and threw himself into the crowd of young nobles. This is a young man who lacks majesty and self-consciousness and only loves to have fun. He's having a good time talking to Chriss.

One night not long ago, the playful young emperor was really bored, so he changed into a commoner's clothes and disguised, and actually quietly ran out of the palace to play in a casino in the royal capital, and lost some gold coins in a daze. This was not a big deal originally, but a beautiful lady next to him who chatted with him felt unhappy that this young man who was not rich in appearance had lost all his money in a few strokes, and said indignantly that the casino was out of a thousand, and he immediately fought with the casino owner, and also grabbed some gold coins and returned them to the young man who had lost all his money. Suddenly the scene was chaotic.

Soon after, Duke Mrak arrived, and His Majesty the Emperor learned that the beautiful lady who had drawn a sword to help her was Miss Duke. But for fear of being recognized by the duke, His Majesty the Emperor went out of the palace to play in the casino without permission, and this kind of thing is not a trivial matter if it is known by those old-fashioned old ministers. So Geffenhardt XVII himself quietly ran away.

After returning to the palace, His Majesty the young Emperor never forgot the Duke's Miss, but it was inconvenient to summon her directly into the palace.

When the two saw it, Chrissy was surprised. His Majesty the Emperor immediately hinted to her not to make a noise and not to divulge about her past in the casino. Kris naturally did not lose her temper, and the two of them talked more and more happily.

"Your Majesty, disturb your good time with this beautiful woman. The Marquis had such an uninhibited tone even in the face of the Emperor, but his demeanor and the charm in his words were enough to be accepted. "The priest and I have come to ask you that tomorrow he will attend the hunting meeting at the invitation of the royal palaces. ”

"Okay. His Majesty the Emperor clearly didn't want to be disturbed, nodded and waved his hand. "Go ahead. ”

A young man of the nobility suddenly spoke next to him and said loudly: "According to the rules of the Church, clergy are not allowed to participate in such activities. Oh, but the priest may be an exception, you know, he swaggers to find prostitutes. ”

"Really?" all the attention, including His Majesty the Emperor, was focused here.

To be bad. Asa cursed. He had already recognized this ill-intentioned guy as the prime minister's son.

The Marquis spoke. He said as he stared at the man with eyes that anyone could see pitiful. "My dear nephew. Why are you still so unqualified in your speech, although everyone knows that you have coveted the position of this priest for a long time, everyone knows your stinky virtues, and everyone knows that this priest has taught you a lesson, but you don't need to make up such a boundless lie. This doesn't mean anything other than proof of your embarrassing failures and jealousy, and that your insight is still as shady as a mouse. ”

There was a commotion and whispers among the young nobles around. The prime minister's son was inexplicably beaten during that time, and everyone knows that it turned out to be the masterpiece of this priest. And it is not surprising that such a rampant gentleman has been hit, and it is not surprising that he is spreading nonsense.

It is absolutely beyond reproach for the elders to reprimand the juniors. Although I always knew that this uncle's strange temperament was not easy to mess with, I never expected to encounter this kind of situation where my elbow turned outward. After receiving this blow that could not be fought back, the face of the prime minister's son immediately turned the color of pig liver.

The marquis ignored the deformed nephew, turned to the emperor and said, "By the way, Your Majesty. Bishop Ronis has asked me to inform you by the way, that tomorrow he will ask Master Roland to discuss some important matters. Thank you for your permission. ”

"Okay. Let him go, let him go. His Majesty the Emperor immediately nodded, looking at his expression almost overjoyed. Commander Roland will be there when the Emperor is on patrol or when there is any activity, so as to be responsible for the safety of His Majesty the Emperor. But his rigor and meticulousness were undoubtedly very unpalatable to the tastes of the young Geffenhardt XVII, and His Majesty the Emperor had great hopes for tomorrow's hunt, but was suffering from the fact that he could not get rid of the old-fashioned and nasty bodyguard, which was exactly what he could not ask for.

The Marquis looked worried and continued: "But in this way, the safety of His Majesty is worried..... I suggest that as many military ministers as possible bring many guards with His Majesty to protect His Majesty's safety." ”

"Excuse me. It's not going deep into the enemy country, it's not far from the royal capital, just bring thirty or forty escorts, where is there any need for such fanfare. "Geffenhardt XVII has always hated the old-fashioned old guys. And after the marquis's reminder, he also remembered that they must not be allowed to spoil the atmosphere. "On my orders, the military ministers will not attend the hunting meeting tomorrow. The dignitaries of various countries are present, and as soon as they speak, they are all fighting and killing, and their tempers are all fierce, what if they destroy diplomatic relations?"

The Marquis and Asa looked at each other and smiled, not expecting that all the preparations could be arranged so easily. As for Head Roland, there are others who might be in the way of the plan, and Bishop Ronis is trying to get them out.

When he turned to leave, the marquis suddenly said to the prime minister's son, whose face had not yet improved: "Dear nephew Modo, I heard that you once asked someone to plot against this priest, right?"

The prime minister's face was not good, and he did not speak.

"Actually, you don't have to. The Marquis said in a very serious voice: "There is nothing to be ashamed of if a man is inferior to others, but it is not right to be framed by some vile means. That proves that you are not only inferior to others in ability, but also that you do not have the confidence to face hostility head-on. He looked his nephew up and down and shook his head with emotion. "But it does look inferior, it's too far behind. So you have to remember, don't do any more despicable plots. ”

Ignoring the trembling nephew, the Marquis turned around and patted Asa on the shoulder, and whispered, "Let's go, these flashy and superficial scenes and supporting characters have been set up, let's go and prepare those real and dangerous props." ”

The Academy of Magic at night is surprisingly quiet, and the magnificent cathedral is hidden in the darkness. Only a majestic silhouette is revealed. Asa and the Marquis walked towards the little light under the silhouette. According to Bishop Ronis's arrangement, Archpriest Cuthbert was waiting for them at the door of the church.

Grand Priest Cuthbert was in his forties, lean in his build, with an archaic face and a pair of eyes that seemed to be a little glazed. He was a man known for his strong sense of justice and responsibility, as well as his hatred. He is a devout believer, and has commanded priests and magicians in previous battles against infidels. Although his handling of the infidels was controversial for him, he burned more than 2,000 heretics alive, but his loyalty to the church and his ability to excel still put him in a high position. Some time ago, when Bishop Ronis advocated peace with Orfu, he actually objected, believing that those filthy and evil orcs were not qualified to be equal to God's people.

"It's too late, Your Excellency says you should have come five minutes ago. The Grand Priest didn't look at the Marquis with a good look, he was once a classmate of the Marquis in the Academy of Magic, and the Marquis's style was obviously not popular with anyone who believed in it. He looked at Asa again with stern eyes and admonished: "You must remember that as a clergyman, 'strictness' is an essential tomato. ”

"Yes. Asa nodded politely. But in his heart he gestured to him. The guy seems to be unhappy with Bishop Ronis's promotion of an unqualified newcomer like him, and often has a problem with Asa's casual ways.

"It's still so old-fashioned, no wonder I've always been able to maintain pure virginity. No, it's probably because you've been mentally suppressed for too long......" The marquis looked at the sharp eyes of the great priest, and hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Hey, forget it." People who can't afford to joke are boring. Take us inside. ”

The two of them walked into the cathedral under the guidance of Cuthbert and came to the altar in the center of the front.

The huge statue in the center of the altar was still so holy and majestic in the darkness. The Grand Priest recited a strange incantation, pressed it at the idol's feet, and the huge idol silently moved aside, revealing a secret door below. There was a lock on the secret door, and when Cuthbert took out the key to open it, a long tunnel appeared, and the three of them walked down the tunnel.

The tunnels were dark and damp, and there was a strange stench in the air. As we walked down, the strange stench grew stronger and the air became more and more humid and stuffy. Asa had the illusion that the three of them were walking towards a cauldron boiling corpses.

The smell lingered in this cramped place, and when I breathed, it was as if I had stuffed a clump of rancid cotton into my lungs. The air of the lizard swamp is unbearable, but compared to here, it is simply the smell of everyone's beautiful bedroom. Asa glanced at the Marquis, this prodigal man who was accustomed to the smell of fat powder was now calm, and even his walking posture was still so elegant, as if he was still in the luxurious party just now. This made Asa feel a little admired, this is really out of the hall and in battle.

"I've been in the Academy of Magic for several years, and if it weren't for Bishop Ronis asking me to come now, I really wouldn't know that this dungeon is actually in the holiest cathedral. The Marquis said to Asa. "'Beneath the holiest surface, there is still the filthiest flesh. 'What do you think of that line?'

"Inham, be careful about what you say and do, after all, you are also from the Academy of Magic, and you should be a priest at least academically. Don't think that you can talk nonsense because you have the status of a nobleman. The Grand Priest who walked at the front said coldly.

The Marquis spread his hands and said with some regret: "At least the facts I said, in artistic terms." And you should be glad I'm not a clergyman, otherwise I would have reformed the church system and weeded out you old-fashioned guys who have no sense of beauty. ”

The Grand Priest turned his head to stare at the Marquis, then turned back and continued to walk down.

"Hey, what the hell is this place. Asa could feel a wave of magic ripples passing around him, it was the feeling of passing through the magic array. And as the magic array passed through, some strange roars also appeared in the ears, and the unpleasant smell in the air became stronger and stronger.

"This is the Academy of Magic, the dungeons of the Holy Church where the most dangerous prisoners are imprisoned. Of course, it's not just people, evil creatures and undead monsters make up the majority. Some have special preservation value, while others are used for research and experimentation to take our great white magic to the next level. I had only vaguely heard about these things before. This kind of dark side can't be known to pure-hearted and simple-minded believers, so this is probably the top secret of the Academy of Magic, and there are no more than five people who know it, and now we have added two. The Marquis's voice was mocking. "So we should feel honored. ”

"Honored, honored. Asa nodded, feeling a little cold sweat on his forehead. If Bishop Ronis had planned to arrest him, he would probably be imprisoned in this place right now.

The Grand Priest snorted coldly and said, "I advise you not to make reckless remarks to your juniors. He turned his head to look at Asa and said solemnly, "You must remember your divine identity and not be disturbed by those nonsense. ”

"Yes. Asa nodded again.

When I finally reached the end of the tunnel, I suddenly opened up in front of me, and a huge space appeared, from which the roar and stench were filled.

The granite was hollowed out and divided into arm-thick steel bars into cells, with various monsters imprisoned in between. A three-headed dog as big as a horse slammed into the cage, three giant mouths drooling together and roaring wildly. In the other cell, several evil eyes waved their tentacles, and used their eyes the size of a water tank to emit magical rays to attack these sudden targets, but the light could not pass through the cage's magic circle, and there was a crackling sound inside. A Medusa twisted her hair and lower body to move to the edge of the cage and looked at it with the eyes of a legendary petrified man. Inside, a huge body sits silently in a cage with a huge bull-like head, the legendary Minotaur.

These are all evil creatures in the distant underworld of Negan, which even the most famous adventurers have rarely seen to imagine being held in the dungeons of the Church.

The undead monsters on the other side are much quieter. They don't roar, and skeleton warriors and zombies, as well as white ghosts, sense the anger of the humans and want to pounce, but they are constantly bounced back by the magic array on the cage. The elaborate creations of these necromancers have lost the control of their masters, leaving only some simple basic consciousness, not even eating, and are really the most convenient prisoners.

"Wow. Asa let out an exclamation at the sight of so many strange creatures that he had heard of for a long time and had always wanted to see. "But why didn't I see the prisoner? ”

The Grand Priest said coldly, "The last one committed suicide a few days ago. They are the leaders of some pagan organizations created by the Necromantic Guild. However, after being locked up here, they all said that they were not subordinates of the Necromantic Guild, and cried and shouted to get out. After being held here for a while, they all committed suicide, some biting off the blood vessels in their hands, some hitting the wall, and one pulling out their tongues with their hands. These dark believers are completely to blame for their fate, and they don't even have to collect the corpses, they just give them to the monsters as food. ”

The Marquis shook his head, and his mouth was full of words: "It's really unaesthetic, are you really sure that those are the people of the legendary Necromantic Guild?"

Asa walked to the cells and asked, "Why are these empty?"

The High Priest replied, "It was the prison that had held other undead monsters a long time ago. Since the establishment of the Academy of Magic, this place has been used to imprison undead monsters, and the age is too long, and I don't know when it was destroyed. ”

Asa suddenly felt as if the entire dungeon was shaking slightly. A strange feeling swept over me.

Asa looked left and right, and it seemed to be an illusion, as neither the Marquis nor the Grand Priest reacted. But all the creatures outside suddenly fell silent, and the zombies and skeletons in the cells didn't move. The dungeon, which had been noisy just now, fell silent.

"What's wrong?" the archpriest realized that something was wrong.

Asa looked into the deepest part of the dungeon, where the strange sensation had hit. Only then did he realize that the light in the hands of the Great Priest could not reach it, as if there was a black gas that devoured all the light. The glow of the magic array on the stone wall next to it could be faintly seen.

Very fine small runes are pieced together into larger runes, and the way they are arranged is also very tight, and the magic power contained in that magic array should be amazingly large in terms of scale, but there is not the slightest feeling here, it is obvious that it should be used inside.

Asa pointed to the deepest part of the area and asked the High Priest, "Is there anything in there? ”

"Where? isn't that a wall?" the Grand Priest glanced in that direction, shook his head, and turned. Asa then realized that the high priest had turned his back to that direction, intentionally or unintentionally, and seemed unwilling to look at it again.

Asa vaguely recalled something, as if he had seen it somewhere.....

"What are you doing?" the Grand Priest suddenly roared, startling Assa.

"I'll come in and see if there's anything interesting. You might be able to find some treasure left behind by the monster. The Marquis's voice came from inside the dark cell. It turned out that he himself had run into an empty cell.

"Regardless of whether there is anything in there or not, it is not allowed to enter without permission. Come out quickly. The Grand Priest roared. "I don't know why Lord Bishop called you this unruly fellow. ”

"Okay, okay, isn't this coming out. What a nervous question..."The Marquis walked out of his cell with his hands in his hands, and looked at the Grand Priest with disdain.

The Grand Priest of Cuthbert had obviously endured the Marquis to the limit, and completely abandoned the solemnity of the clergy and said to him viciously: "Listen, it was the Bishop who told me to let you come down, so I took you down." Now I advise you not to act rashly, or I don't know if I will be able to bear it without putting you in it. So hurry up and finish what the Bishop has told you to do now, and get out of here. ”

The Marquis completely ignored the almost insane archpriest, and smiled confidently at Asa with a relaxed face. "With my instinct as an artist, I've decided on our props, and it's going to help us put on a great show. ”