The royal capital, Erwin's office.

The curtains were drawn, the room was dimly lit, and the doors and windows were closed.

"At the end of July—" Erwin touched his chin, "And what are you going to do after that?" ”

"Find a way to build a ship." Ian sat in front of Erwin: "We still have too little information outside the walls, no matter what, we still need to get in touch with the outside world." ”

"What about the port of the Marais? Is it just left there? ”

"Didn't you ask from the mouths of those two people, the reason why the Marais only send warriors with the power of giants to the island is because they themselves don't know how many giants there are on the island, and the giants that were originally used to bind the people within the walls have finally become the factor that hinders their landing, and at this stage, I think it's better not to take measures against that port rashly, and send some people to monitor nearby."

"Can you only sneak around at the moment—" Elwin clasped his hands together.

"There is no way, the gap in strength is too big, a head-on confrontation, there is no chance of winning at all, a weak country has no diplomacy, if we can't really become strong, the country across the sea will not treat us as human beings."

Ian's voice was deep.

"If we don't show that we're strong enough, the Marais government will never give up on our persecution."

"It's very simple to figure out, if it weren't for the gradual loss of the power of the giants in the war, Ma Lai would not be in such a hurry, just after winning the battle, he would forcibly seize the power of the Ancestral Giants."

"You're right." Erwin said slowly: "We, there is no way out, only to fight. When will you leave the royal capital? ”

"Tomorrow."

"Then follow the original plan."

...

The Wall of Rossi, where night covers the domain of Earl Charles.

The Corps camp, brightly lit.

Inside the newly-pulled up tent, there was a long table at which Ian sits.

On the table sat a wind-up pocket watch, ticking and ticking, the hands of the pocket watch beating rhythmically.

Ian stared at the pocket watch for a moment, not saying a word.

"It's almost ten o'clock, it's time to go to bed, Lord Charles, have you forgotten about it?" Ymir leaned on the table, yawned, and laughed contemptuously.

Kenny Ackerman hugged his chest: "The Earl wrote a letter during the day and promised to be on time. ”

"But, well, after all, this is not the royal capital, and it is understandable that the clock is different from the clock of the royal capital."

"Why don't I go out and inform Earl Charles again?" Hannes leaned over and whispered in Ian's ear.

Ian bowed his head slightly, and before he could answer, a report came from the soldiers.

"Report, Earl Charles has just arrived in a carriage, accompanied by the soldiers of the garrison corps and the earl's domestic servants."

A noisy voice came from outside the tent, the tent was lifted, the noble butler in formal clothes opened the curtain of the tent, and the fat Earl Charles walked in, accompanied by his six servants and men in aristocratic attire, through the mouth of the tent, you could see the garrison standing outside, each with a gun in his hand.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Councilor Ian." Earl Charles pretended to smile: "Viscount Richard suddenly came to me, saying that last week's heavy rain flooded the farmland, I care about the people, and borrow grain from the granary to the Viscount, which delayed the time, I know that the time of the councillor cannot be delayed, and as soon as the Viscount was sent away, I hurried over." ”

With a smile on his face, Ian got up from his seat and shook the earl's hand warmly: "It's okay, Mr. Charles, sit down first." ”

"Oh yes, introduce me to the Councillor." Earl Charles pulled the aristocratic man over: "This is the eldest son and heir of the Lord, Keels Di Charles, who thought of letting him know the members of the government in advance, so he brought it over." ”

The earl's son put on a Sima face: "I said father, is there such a small government councilor?" You can't be deceived. ”

The Earl shouted angrily: "Councilor Ian is holding the government documents in a dignified manner, how can it be a pretend, pretending to be a councillor is a capital crime, call your Excellency Councillor!" ”

The earl's son laughed and took off his hat and saluted: "Father, you are right, Your Excellency, please forgive me for what I just said. ”

One of the father and son sings blackface and the other redface.

This is not to go to the appointment, but to give the horse a threat, and it can even be said to be a threat.

In short, the Count is seated.

The count's servants took it upon themselves to pour wine for those present, and poured the same bottle of red wine.

"This is a fine wine from Richard Wine Estate, and you're welcome." The Earl smiled, and did it alone.

Ian didn't move his glass and asked, "Mr. Charles, have you read the proposal that was sent to you earlier?" ”

"Alas, Councillor, it's not that we don't cooperate." The earl's face was embarrassed: "We all understand that the Marais are coming, and we should do our part, but you also know that our territory has received a lot of refugees, to be honest, Viscount Richard asked me to borrow food, and I myself was worried that my people would not have enough to eat, and I was actually unwilling to borrow it." ”

"But the friendship between the Richard family and the Charles family for so many years, the Viscount knows that I am embarrassed, and he exchanged the red wine of the manor for me, if we have the ability, we will definitely be willing to help the government defend against foreign enemies, but... You see, we really can't get anything..."

"So, in fact, this is the case, Your Excellency, some of the nobles around us, we discussed it together." The Count asked the servant to bring a piece of paper: "There is only so much we can offer, no matter how much we can offer, we will not be able to take it out." ”

Ian took the piece of paper and looked at it, smiling unabated.

He didn't say anything and sent Earl Charles off the mighty procession.

Ymir picked up the piece of paper, looked at it a few times, and his face turned strange.

"Aren't they all the names of the frontiers?"

"Charles is the spokesman of the aristocratic group, and it is normal that they are not willing to give up the meat in their mouths."

Ian picked up the piece of paper and placed it on the outer flame of the candle and lit it.

"I knew before I came that they wouldn't be able to tie their hands together, but it was still a little surprising to me, they were really used to being a leader over the years, and they felt that if they had a gun in their hands, the government would not dare to do it."

"But it doesn't matter." Ian pulled out a ledger: "That's enough to sentence him to death." ”

It was the ledger of the Charles family, and the Ian Chamber of Commerce had been collecting incriminating evidence since last winter, and the proof that the nobles had accepted embezzlement and bribery had long been in his hands.

"Ymir, Kenny, I'm sorry for your trouble, let's fix it tonight."

"Overtime again?" Ymir complained.

"Join forces with giants... It's really, really, interestingly. Kenny pulled his revolver from his waist, his eyes twinkling.