Horace did not reply directly to Horad Minnest's proposal, but only vaguely stated that he would consider it. Nafario, on the other hand, seemed to be much more excited than Horad - if it hadn't been for the Marquis Hollard's suggestion, he would have raised his hands in approval.

After the conclusion of the motion, Horace was visibly tired, and after only a brief discussion with the remaining ministers about the aftermath of the Radiant Cross, he hastily ended the Imperial Council and left the throne hall with the help of the court ceremonial officer, Lord Bernard.

Looking at His Majesty, who was getting weaker and weaker, Edward didn't feel much emotion - Horace was the first man he felt in danger, but this dangerous man always restrained his minions and tried his best to maintain the peace of the whole kingdom, so that this country, which was slowly approaching the brink of civil strife, always swayed from side to side on the single-plank bridge without falling.

Seemingly ambitious brothers, strife, Turin nobility and local lords, an increasingly powerful Church, and merchants and wizards unwilling to endure oppression...... Three hundred years have slowly intensified the hidden contradictions, but they have been lightly reconciled by Horace, without a trace, but how long can this reconciliation last?

Standing behind the throne, Edward glanced at the little prince Anson, who was still a little angry...... Maybe the day His Royal Highness the prince ascends the throne will be the day when everything will burst out, right?

Just as Edward, who was full of reverie, was about to leave to rest in a silver-haired wizard's café, and asked the little maid to pinch his shoulders by the way, a palace guard suddenly came over and said in his ear very carefully: "Your Majesty Horace wants to see you, can you go now?"

"Anytime. Edward was still a little surprised at how the palace guard could be so polite, and glanced at Anson, who had not yet left, and followed the soldier to Horace's bedchamber.

Horace met Edward on the bed, and His Majesty looked so small on the spacious bed, he looked much more haggard than in the throne hall, and Edward stood silently, suddenly forgetting to come forward to salute.

"What's the matter, little knight, are you too surprised to see me look so weak?" Horace smiled very palely, "This is not the first time I've seen it, daring to go against the Mineste family, willing to gamble with all the young people who are fighting for their future. ”

"Your Majesty......" Edward stepped forward a few steps with an expressionless face, and then stood in front of the bedside - even now, Edward still did not dare to look at him, as if a glance could penetrate all your thoughts, "Do you have anything to tell me?"

"Are you questioning why I slapped Anson in the middle?" Horace smiled, "After all, he is the master you are serving now, and I can accept it if you have any opinions." ”

"There is no reason for a father to teach his son. Edward humbly bowed his head: "Just as my loyalty to you does not require any reason. ”

"I hope so. Horace nodded: "I heard that you are planning to marry Miss Allen, the daughter of the Kwen family, who has taken the entire city of Turin by storm, are you sure you have made a plan?"

"Do you think that's inappropriate?"

"No, you're doing it too right. Horace waved his hand: "When you go to Rainfall Castle, I will order someone to send a gift in my name, and I don't want you to come back so soon - I want you to not only inherit the title of viscount, I want you to become the lord of Fort Hague!"

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty, but if I truly become the owner of that realm, my title of Knight of the Sacred Tree will be ......"

"I have consulted with Mercer Kane that your status as a Knight of the Sacred Tree will be retained. Horace patted Edward's arm with relief: "I know very well that a self-motivated child like you will never stand in the camp of the Minest family because of a beautiful girl, that space is too small to accommodate you." ”

"Your Majesty......" Edward's back was cold: "You want me to ...... Will you be the nail of the Knights in the South, a counterweight to the Minest family?"

"Oh...... You can't do it, the power of the Minest family is more terrible than you think - think about it, no matter how much property you have in your territory, no cargo ship with the flag of a one-horned seahorse is willing to load it, you can only watch them rot in the ground, worthless, this is the power of Minest. ”

"But you can do so much more - Sir Leonardo and I mentioned it about your innate powers of observation and your talent for combat. Horace suddenly clenched Edward's wrist: "Hear me, my little knight. I will never let you become Grand Master of the Knights of the Sacred Tree. But...... Maybe he can become Anson's right-hand man. ”

"If my brother Berion is willing to return the Duke of Hantu City, you will be Anson's cavalry commander, and he will be a true king, not just a child who likes to do mischief. ”

"I will, Your Majesty. Edward nodded deeply, and then slowly walked towards the door of the dormitory, only to be stopped by a weak voice behind him.

"Besides, don't take care of the affairs of the envoy group any longer, concentrate on accompanying your fiancée, and then think about how to deal with your father-in-law—wait until tomorrow, and I will announce that Nafario will take the royal flagship to Bright Star City to complete this peace agreement. Horace looked at Edward's back and said slowly, "You don't have any opinions, do you?"

"Don't dare, Your Majesty. Edward turned his head and saluted slightly, looking a little emotional: "Please allow me to retire first." ”

........................ "The Duke of Berrion would never refuse this invitation, for for more than ten years he had been thinking about how to return to the city of Turin and leave that vast land that was impossible to conquer, not to mention the importance of the position of Lord of the Seals - no one under one man, above ten thousand, no one would refuse." ”

In the empty colonnaded hall, the Marquis of Holard Minest, who was resting on a bench, whispered to Edward, who was leaning against the corner of the corridor: "I am afraid that Lord Nafario is still full of speculation about what my plan is, and I am writing a letter to the Duke of Berion!"

Despite the uproar at Alan Kwyn's coming-of-age ceremony, almost all the Turin nobles did not wonder if he had any "unusual thoughts" about Allen, and Edward, who almost justifiably entered the Minest family's mansion, still tried his best to avoid this as much as possible.

After all, his identity is still a knight of the sacred tree, and even if it is to avoid suspicion, he should try to keep a certain distance from Minest on the surface. Holard agrees with this - but for Edward, his real reason is still that he doesn't want to get too involved with this powerful family.

He hates signing deeds of sale, no matter what form they take.

"Since Your Majesty has agreed to this marriage, then you should rush to Fort Hague as soon as possible, and let this matter be settled, and it is better not to have any more accidents. Holard straightened his shirt as if he were talking to himself.

"Next, as long as we find a way to provoke a war between the Bright Star City of the Ottovik family and the rest of the Dominica city-states, His Majesty Horace will definitely not mind sending a small army to intervene to maintain the peace between us and Dominica, and you will have a chance to show your strength and consolidate the power of the Hague Fort - I will transfer the trade from the Hague Fort to the South to the Goodwin Chamber of Commerce, and your position by the side of the little prince Anson will become more and more important. ”

"The generosity of the Minest family is truly touching. Edward lowered his head and smiled softly, "But these can't be free, I want to know how much it will cost me?"

"As soon as the civil war breaks out in Dominica, I'll let Lusen go with you - I'm well aware that neither of you has any affection for each other, but this time you must help him unconditionally, especially to ensure his life. Holard rightly said, "If Lusen dies, then you will face the unconditional revenge of the Minnest family until you are discredited and hanged in King's Port." ”

In that case, I can only regret it. ”

"What's going on?"

"I am no longer the head of the Dominica Legations, just now His Majesty Horace has entrusted this task to Lord Nafario Brindis. Edward's expression was as flat as a glass of boiled water: "Our Chancellor of the Exchequer will take the royal flagship, go to Bright Star City to complete the final treaty signing, and will depart tomorrow morning - with the Dominica ship." ”

Although the incident happened suddenly, Edward knew very well why Horace would do this - such a major peace treaty, of course, could not be solved by just sending an envoy to one side, and it must have been completed by a big man of sufficient weight to go to the capital of the other side with the king's edict to ensure that both sides could negotiate the final terms.

Obviously, it is impossible for a small attendant military attache to take on such a major mission, and it is expected. But it was a bit of a surprise that His Majesty Horace would send Master Nafario there - wasn't he worried that the talks would eventually fall apart?

"Ah...... This was quite unexpected. Holard's surprise was not much less than that of Edward, and after a long silence he said slowly:

"It looks like we're going to say goodbye to our Chancellor of the Exchequer. ”