"Can these things really scare that Fourth King?"

A few miles away, in the heart of Burgundy, the top bedroom of Edward's Tower of the Black Far.

The half-elf lady was lying on her back on the couch, holding a large ball of marshmallows, tearing them into her mouth one by one, her eyes staring at the illusion rising from a piece of crystal, and asked a few people around her vaguely.

However, this question was not immediately answered - in fact, everyone in the room was absent-minded about it, so after a pause, she simply stretched out her foot and kicked Daherne, who was also sitting next to her: "What do you think, rotten melon?"

"Look with your eyes, hairy girl. ”

The Drow stretched his waist, and his voice was full of languid charm:

"If we can really get this information back accurately, maybe it's okay...... Our steelforge is enough to scare the magicians. It's just that this viscount is obviously a waste little girl who is not very capable, isn't this king said to be a friend of Edward? It seems that he has received a lot of help from him...... But what the hell did he think that such a little girl would spy on us? Or that mastermind is, and this guy is not a spy at all?"

"There's a good chance she's just a ploy to make us look down on her. I think there might be a better spy hidden among her soldiers. ”

Next up was Claudia. Female knights are sharp and precise in their thinking, and more experienced in analyzing military intentions: "Moreover, they are more likely to be just a front to attract our attention." What really needs to be watched out for are the guys who are or have already infiltrated the city, so it's best to use the chengguan brigade to conduct a thorough survey of all the new people in the city. In recent times, we have absorbed too many war refugees. But there was no careful inventory, and the spies were too easy to get in. ”

"It's not that simple...... Of course, there are such things as tanks and artillery, which are not easy to hide...... And it's no secret to Tumenes, though they keep it just as well hidden. But it was these things that the young king was able to achieve a series of 'miraculous victories'. ”

Anna Sue, who had been sitting behind the large desk, looked at the stack of patterned papers on the table, and replied casually: "Actually, Edward seems to attach great importance to his friend and give him a lot of support...... But it's because they already have something like that that the information we reveal can have a deterrent effect on them. Knowing that our artillery is farther and more powerful than theirs, they will not attack lightly. ”

"It's boring, but it would be nice to let the Tumenes call him, since he thinks he's a little capable...... In fact, he is the only one who is best suited as a target now. ”

"I don't build yì to kill needlessly, Miss Dahni. ”

Anna Sui looked up from the pile of drawings and swept the sideburns from her ears to the back of her head—a subtle movement that made her look sleek and calm, but with a little more feminine charm: "Let's talk to Tuminis." Or maybe it's not necessary for the forces on the side of the empire to forge irresolvable contradictions, as long as they understand that we are not their meaningful goal. ”

"I am more in favor of Miss Dahni's suggestion. ”

Claudia shook her head slightly: "Actually, in order to defend better, a war that shows its strength is necessary." Our forces do seem too weak, and our position is too sensitive, whether it's the new empire. Neither the metropolitan area nor the Tumenes can tolerate us being our own faction. And some of the demonstrations ...... Our weapons and the like. Instead, it will make them more insatiable. As long as you get the city, you will have an impregnable fortress and a constant supply of weapons. And a population of 100,000 people, and what they thought was abundant food, and even if I had led the army myself, I could not have allowed such a city to be occupied by a group of people who could not be determined. ”

"And most importantly, they can try those nasty tricks and no one will retaliate even if they lose, right?"

Dahney's chuckle made Anna Sui frown.

The experience of falling from the astral plane back to the main physical plane was nothing but a catastrophe to look back on, and it seemed nothing compared to the situation that followed. At the intersection of the three powers, she couldn't ignore the refugees at war - even though the empire was now falling apart, Anna Sui still kept her noble faith and did her best to help the refugees at war, so the increasingly bloated size of the city brought her more troubles.

Population management, food sources, diversion, housing...... If it weren't for the precious resources that the city had left her to use, I'm afraid that something would have gone wrong by now, right?

"Actually, it's very easy to solve, let that Marilyn archmage take action and destroy one or two unlucky eggs, and these guys will naturally stop immediately. Didn't that what we did when we started?" Miss Half-Elf was obviously not interested in discussing, and stuffed the candy into her mouth, and she picked up another piece of fruit from the table: "The problem now is that those guys don't believe that we have an archmage here, so they all want to come and test the temptation, so she has to show her face at this time?"

"But Master Marilyn has not been back to Burgundy for a month. Anna Sue sighed.

Lisa's advice is the most effective, and in fact one of the sources of her worries is that the information that is gradually coming back clearly points out that several 'suspected' archmages have been added to the new Empire...... Not to mention the side of the Imperial Capital Circle, and the expansion of the Imperial Elector Legion under their control, these are completely unavoidable problems.

"Really? I thought she wouldn't be going anywhere else but your bedroom, but maybe she's been a little closer to the dragon lately?"

The sharpness of the half-elf's words made Anna Sui's brow furrow even tighter.

For her and Archmage Marilyn...... To be precise, it's the relationship with Gardenia. The half-elf lady had always been quite dissatisfied, but Anna Sue didn't understand why she was upset, even though it was. This awkward relationship has become much more indifferent due to her own resistance, but it is no longer a secret at all.

If it weren't for that time, I was too tired. I accidentally forgot to remind her to seal the door and mute it...... But why did Miss Half-Elf find out? or. Was this simply a premeditated act by that archmage in order to make this relationship a given?

But...... But I've never ...... about this kind of thing

The thoughts in her mind were suddenly chaotic, and just thinking about it, it seemed as if something had condensed into substance and slowly stirred on her body, making her upset and her cheeks as hot as fire.

"I said, little girl, why do you always care so much about Miss Anna Sue's affairs, isn't it just the occasional friendship between girls?" The awkward silence lasted for a moment, but Daherney chuckled, "Speaking of which." Didn't you and I have a good time, like the last 10-day ......?"

"Shut up!" Miss Lisa screamed, and jumped up from the bench like a cat with its tail stepped on. But she immediately reacted, and her expression was a little eager to cover up: "That...... Damn rotten melon, don't talk nonsense! I'm not interested in ...... with you."

"Yes, didn't you praise me for my skill at the time?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up...... You damn guy made it up on his own!"

"But didn't you resist yet? If you really don't want it, just say you don't want it? And you've been getting more and more proficient lately, it seems. What do humans say? Oh, 'have fun', isn't it? The waist is so weak that it can't straighten up. When Edward comes back, you can really play with him......"

"Shut up! I'll tear up your two messes of stuff if you talk nonsense!"

The menacing half-elf clawed in both hands and slammed into Dahni like an angry cat, but the Drow priest seemed to know her reaction well. The same lightning reached out and grabbed her wrist, and the two elf ladies suddenly fell into a stalemate posture, but this did not stop Drow from continuing to speak:

“...... She's not Edward's thing yet. Why do you have to watch for that fellow, if she does become Edward's...... Aren't you going to have a little less? That's enough now, and Edward doesn't know how many cute girls he found in the outer realms this time. I've heard that there are different types of demons and demons that are used to seduce men, and there are many famous female demons. I think maybe that's why he doesn't want to come back at all......"

"Bite you!"

"Please be quiet!"

A muffled thud stopped the more absurd farce, and Claudia's fair cheeks were flushed with a faint red, but her slender brows were tightly locked, and her voice was as cold as ice: "What we are discussing is a big issue related to the survival of this city, it doesn't matter if you two can't give advice, but please don't disturb us!"

"In short, I don't think the way we can show our strength now doesn't necessarily have to rely on...... She. Anna Sue exhaled softly and brought the topic back to its original track: "Miss Lisa, can't Lady Bellena give us some miracles?"

"Most of the responses she gives me now are simple things, I really don't know what's wrong!"

Giving her old enemy a fierce look, Miss Half-Elf snorted: "Maybe something big has happened again, Recently, His Majesty's requirements for believers have been increasing more and more, but the ability of those guys sent out to preach is really not very good, and so far there are less than 3,000 people in total...... It's not surprising that His Majesty isn't satisfied. ”

"Don't look at me, I'm no longer the elect of Rose, she's abandoned me. Daherne sighed, "In addition, I think that even if we can do a miracle or something, it will not be able to dampen the ambition of those guys, although the grace of God is good, after all, it is not as good as an archmage who can protect the place at any time." ”

That is to say, for the time being, there is no way to suppress the covetousness of the three surrounding forces.

Anna Sui sighed inwardly.

But facts are facts, and now even if it's how to urge. There isn't much help left for the current situation, all that's left is to see the reaction around you.

So. It seems that this meeting will end here. If it continues, the attention of the two priests will still be involved in some strange things......

Thinking about it, Anna Su gathered the things on the table in front of her and stood up, and as soon as she reached out and pressed it, the orange earth elemental creature flowed out of the corner of the table, lazily wrapping around her wrist: "When the time comes, I'll go and inspect...... If you stay here, don't give random orders. ”

Ruled Burgundy as acting lord for more than a year. Anna Sui had developed many habits - regular city patrols being one of them.

Leaving the gate of the Mage's Tower, the Earth Elemental Creature's body slowly expanded, turning into a horse-like shape, and slowly moving forward with her.

Of course, after the size of the entire city has expanded more than eightfold, even with this convenient means of transportation, patrols are no longer the same as before. Most of the time, Anna Sui just walked around certain routes, such as Central Street and Midtown, but this simplified patrol was more than symbolic, Miss Staff always thought. The fact that I appear in the city is the greatest significance in itself, and it can consolidate the mentality of the citizens little by little, especially in this chaotic time.

Out of compassion and the need to expand the faithful, Burgundy has always taken an attitude of taking in war refugees as much as possible...... Such a large-scale operation to house refugees did bring in quite a few followers and potential followers of the Dark Lady. But it has also nearly tripled the size of the entire city...... And this number of population growth apparently shook the foundations of Burgundy's rule.

Burgundy's original garrison numbered only about 3,000 men, a high proportion compared to 50,000 inhabitants. Both management and use are handy, but now the population and the scale of urban defense have increased significantly. These reliable manpower to keep the city safe is already fully stunted, and it is not enough. The city's defense efforts have exposed weaknesses.

Recruitment has been an ongoing process, but refugees are not a good source of recruitment, and although more than 5,000 recruits have been recruited in the year, and Burgundy's excellent weapons production capacity can easily arm them, most of the new recruits are not satisfactory.

Of course, it is not a requirement for their force or body...... They can now run ten miles around the city defenses in the same way as the veterans, wearing half-body armor and carrying weapons, and can also operate ballistas or trebuchets on the city walls. There are even some guys with good abilities who can fight the veteran in heads-up...... But their presence, their spirit, or something that Anna Sui could not tell, always made the difference between the veterans, and even the civilians of Burgundy.

Or Claudia, who was in charge of training them, said, more accurately.

"These guys, even if they were trained, were just soldiers I trained, not Edward's. ”

What the difference between these two types of soldiers is, no one seems to be able to say.

But in any case, experience is also important - and this is a big reason why Claudia is so strongly in favor of war.

The slight tilt of her body made Anna Sue look up, noticing that the earth elemental had carried her up the walls of the castle - the outer walls of Burgundy, but now it had been heightened and reinforced, becoming a separation between the Upper and Midtown towns.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on the wall-divided horizon outside the city, and Anna Sue shook her head slightly.

The danger of actual combat is somewhat unpredictable -- in this region where various forces are intertwined, a mistake in news may cause heavy losses to the troops, and may also be regarded as a dangerous provocation against certain forces, too many of them will not find suitable opponents, and too few will be very likely to be surrounded and annihilated by various forces on alert in various places.

Although there are quite a few new weapons called artillery, they are not inferior to mages. But Burgundy today is very lacking in use, and in the hands of the people who make these things.

If she could, Anna Sui would also like them to travel with artillery. But artillery is not perfect...... The biggest problem is that the production of those shells is very time-consuming, a high-level mage can only make a dozen rounds a day at most, and the mages still need to build and improve the main defense circle, as well as the anti-teleportation circle in the new city, etc., so our current storage capacity is about more than 2,000 rounds, and these are used on more than 200 guns, which can only support about two battles at most. ”

So showing the power of those cannons to the Tumenis side was still only intended to scare people......

In addition, there is food......

Most of the grain was purchased from the New Empire in armor, but the price was completely disproportionate, and a set of armor could only be exchanged for about 300 pounds of grain at present, and the New Empire continued to keep the price down. As a result of the war, the harvest in several of the Empire's major grain-producing regions has been drastically reduced this year, so the amount of food that can be exchanged for it is now very limited. (To be continued......)